Forever Saved
“God’s strong name is our help.” Psalm 124:8, The Message You have a ticket to heaven no thief can take, an eternal home no divorce can break. Every sin of your life has been cast to the sea. Every mistake you’ve made is nailed to the tree. You’re blood-bought and heaven-made. A child of God—forever saved. So be grateful, joyful—for isn’t it true? What you don’t have is much less than what you do. [Link]
He Said-She Said: Should the Past Stay in the Past?
When two are thinking about becoming one and headed toward marriage, how much about the past should be revealed? And when is the right time to unpack your "baggage"? Read what "he" and "she" have to say in response to this month's question. [Link]
Obama, Stem Cells, and the Rule of Law
Not everyone agrees with the President’s vision of science’s “rightful place,” particularly when his pursuit of this vision involves undermining the rule of law and disregarding the sanctity of human life. [Link]
One Nation Under God: Understanding the Pledge
Thomas Jefferson wrote, “can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that they are gifts of God?” [Link]
Five Years after Katrina, New Orleans Takes Stock
With prayers and the tolling of bells, but also with second-line parades and Mardi Gras Indians, New Orleanians on Sunday took stock of their rebuilt lives in the five years since the hurricane. [Link]
Seriously Consider an Exit Strategy Before Going the Distance
In an effort to defy conventional romantic comedy, the screenwriter of Going the Distance took an intriguing premise—how does a long-distance couple actually make it work?—and immediately shot it in the foot with a bazooka. [Link]
Circumstance, Psychology Build Tension in The American
Director Anton Corbijn creates a moody but minimalist atmosphere in The American. The camera is mostly static, music scarcely heard, and shots linger. While thrillers usually depend on opposite tactics to set the tone, Corbijn strips those away—instead allowing circumstance and psychology alone to create confusion and build tension. [Link]
Walsh Continues World War II Story in The Homecoming
Fans of The Unfinished Gift will delight to reacquaint themselves with World War II fighter pilot Shawn Collins and his son, Patrick. As The Homecoming opens, Shawn has lost his wife in a fatal car accident back home, but the Army doesn't give him much time to grieve. [Link]
We Can’t Surprise God
“A person is made right with God not by following the law, but by trusting in Jesus Christ.” Galatians 2:16 God is not stumped by an evil world. He doesn’t gasp in amazement at the depth of our faith or the depth of our failures. We can’t surprise God with our cruelties. He knows the condition of the world . . . and loves it just the same. For just when we find a place where God would never be (like on a cross), we look again and there he is, in the flesh. [Link]
A very sick father's prayer for his children
You may remember we told you the story a few months ago about Matt Chandler – the 35 year-old father of 3 who was diagnosed with brain cancer. You may follow his battle via his church's You Tube Channel. Watch his very moving prayer for his children and then consider how you are praying for your kids. Many of us know that prayer is indispensable to raising children, but how should we do it? Here's a start with the 10 things to pray for and with your kids. Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: How can I pray for you? [Link]
10 Things Every Teenager Needs to Know About Their Parents
Face it — you are stuck with us, at least for the next few years! And avoiding spending time with us, rejecting our hugs, and refusing to talk is not going to change that. So in the interest of peace and harmony, I am going to share a few things with you that you probably don't know in the hopes that they may help you to better tolerate us. [Link]
Discover the Map to the Path Great Men Walk
The Gospel of Matthew contains an ancient path that successful men from Bible times on have followed. Here's how you can access The Map: The Way of All Great Men. [Link]
This Is The Way It Ought To Be
Given the amount of attention and feedback we’ve received this week with regard to removing the “traditional/contemporary” split in worship at Coral Ridge in favor of a blended format, I thought it would be a good idea to do a follow-up post going into even more detail regarding why we made the decision we made. [Link]
Strippers Going To War
Sometimes I think I should start a new file: really dumb culture wars that do more harm to Christianity than good. [Link]
Preaching Points: Redundancy and Precision
Redundancy is a tricky fellow. An antonym is precision. Most all pastors are guilty of redundancy and short on precision from time to time. All of us have a desire to get it out of our sermons; but before we can eliminate it, we must be able to hear it, which requires trained and dedicated ears. There are two very large dangers with redundancy. The first is the boredom that results from all things twice or thrice said. As has been well said, there is no such thing as a bad short sermon or a long good one. [Link]
How to Talk to a Teacher
What do you do if you have a concern about what your child is learning in school? Talk to the teacher, of course. But how you do it might make all the difference. [Link]
Are You an Impulsive Spouse?
Dear Dr. David: My wife has such a short fuse that it scares me… [Link]
Middle C
“From everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Psalm 90:2 You and I need a middle C. Haven’t you had enough change in your life? Relationships change. Health changes. The weather changes. But the Yahweh who ruled the earth last night is the same Yahweh who rules it today. Same convictions. Same plan. Same mood. Same love. He never changes. You can no more alter God than a pebble can alter the rhythm of the Pacific. Yahweh is our Middle C. A still point in a turning world. [Link]
Why your wife matters
Yesterday we talked about why you matter. Today, let's discuss why your wife matters with a very powerful insight. Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy, admitted in an interview that his mom never hugged or kissed him for fear of germs. He's been seeking that affection his whole life. If his mom had only showed him genuine love, perhaps Hugh could have put his incredible business savvy to better use. Parents hugging and kissing their kids matters more than you will ever know. iMOM Director Susan Merrill shares why a child needs a hug from both mom and dad. And Tony Dungy shares about how his mother and father showed him affection.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you wish mom and I gave you more hugs and kisses or less? Why? [Link]
Top 10 Articles of August 2010
The hustle and bustle of transition is all around us this month — these articles are all about refocusing when life seems out of control. [Link]
Never Having to Say You’re Dead?
Few concepts can match reincarnation in terms of being incompatible with Christian doctrine and the Christian worldview. The biblical view of history is linear, not cyclical. [Link]
Pakistani Taliban Kills Three Foreign Christian Aid Workers
Authorities have recovered the bodies of three Christian who were kidnapped and killed by the Pakistani Taliban. All three were working to reach flood victims with aid. [Link]
For the Greater Good? The Problem of Stem Cells
Is embryonic stem cell research an example of "waste not, want not" … or a reprise of the Dachau experiments on "subhumans" who were "going to die anyway"? [Link]
When to Go Back to School
Jumping into an educational program isn't always the best strategy. Here are some questions to help you determine if a new degree is the right choice for you at this point in your life. [Link]
Finance Q&A: Where Should I Invest My Savings?
Dear Deborah: With interest rates on savings accounts and CD's so low, where do you recommend a relatively conservative person should invest? [Link]
He Knows the Answers
“You answer us in amazing ways, God our Savior.” Psalm 65:5 God never turns his back on those who ask honest questions. He never did in the Old Testament; he never did in the New Testament. So if you are asking honest questions of God, he will not turn away from you . . . In learning to depend on God, we must accept that we may not know all the answers, but we know who knows the answers. [Link]
Why you matter
Author Darren Ferguson wrote of his former prison life: "We inmates are all from 5 neighborhoods in New York City. It's like a train that begins on my block. You get on the train when you're nine or ten years old, and the train ends up at Sing Sing."What's missing in these neighborhoods that Darren grew up in? Involved fathers. Male parenting. In fact, here are 10 reasons why children are at a great disadvantage . You matter tremendously to your children and the future of our country. Don't ever underestimate your importance.Hear from Tony Dungy about the correlation between lack of involved fathers and the inmates he ministers to.Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: Why do you think fathers matter so much to their kids? [Link]
Rob Reiner: Directing Hearts in Motion in Flipped
As the proverb says, a man's heart reflects the man. And in Rob Reiner's newest coming-of-age film, Flipped, young hearts in motion not only mirror the feelings of first love but also the character of who someone really is deep down inside. [Link]
Why in the World Would God Want to Use Me?
It is impossible to understand Abraham's faith without realizing that there was nothing in Abraham that commended him to God. God does not look down from heaven to find a person who has a bit of divine righteousness or a bit of faith. [Link]
Is the Bible Hazardous to Your Health?
If Sigmund Freud were alive today he might push for a label affixed to Bibles, something along the lines of, “WARNING: Regular exposure to this book can lead to unhappiness, depression, psychosis, and in some cases, suicide.” [Link]
Marmaduke is a Barkin' Good Time for Kids Only
Filled with madcap action and a happy ending you'll see coming from a mile away (this ain't Old Yeller, after all), Marmaduke is a movie your kids will probably love, but you'll barely suffer through, thanks to a slew of corny jokes and lame pop culture references. [Link]
House of Heroes Has Some Fun in Suburba
When any band delivers an album that fans and critics both love, expectations can't help but run sky high for the inevitable follow-up. And while Suburba doesn't quite surpass last year's breakout release, it's certainly House of Heroes' most fun album, hands down. [Link]
God, the Gospel, and Glenn Beck
The news media pronounced Glenn Beck the new leader of America’s Christian conservative movement, and a flock of America’s Christian conservatives have no problem with that. Ten years ago, I would have thought it was from the pages of an apocalyptic novel about the end-times. But it’s not. And it is a scandal. [Link]
Amazed at Jesus
“When the Lord Jesus comes . . . all the people who have believed will be amazed at Jesus.” Amazed at Jesus . . . Paul doesn’t measure the joy of encouraging the apostles or embracing our loved ones. If we will be amazed at these, which we certainly will, he does not say. What he does say is that we will be amazed at Jesus. What we have only seen in our thoughts, we will see with our eyes . . . What we’ve seen in a glimpse, we will then see in full view. And . . . we will be amazed. [Link]
Advice from John Wooden's father
The late, great John Wooden has been remembered and celebrated by many. But as more of his amazing life and legacy are unpacked, the more we see the ripple effect of John's father, Joshua, who advised him: "Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece, make friendship a fine art, drink deeply from good books — especially the Bible, build a shelter against a rainy day, give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day." While John lived his father's words, many more lived his. Read how much Tony Dungy admired John Wooden. Enjoy this great, moment with Coach John Wooden directed by Spike Lee in a thought-provoking video.Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: Who has been your favorite coach and why? [Link]
What Are We Singing: Holy is the Lord
Sometimes the whole earth – and its fullness thereof – makes the pronouncement of adulation. But it should never cry out alone. [Link]
Live the Life
“I am a voice calling out in the desert.” John 1:23 John was a voice for Christ with more than his voice. His life matched his words. When a person’s ways and words are the same, the fusion is explosive. But when a person says one thing and lives another, the result is destructive. People will know we are Christians, not because we bear the name, but because we live the life. [Link]
10 creative ways to spend more time with your wife
Time and communication are the lifeblood of any relationship, and it seems we have too little of both for the person we are "one flesh" with. And this creates marriage conflict. But that can change starting tonight by implementing these 10 creative ways to spend more time with your wife. Give these a try and let us know how it goes. Also, be sure to let your wife know about our sister program iMOM and to sign up for their daily e-mail – the Espresso Minute.How does Coach Tony find time to spend with his wife with his very busy schedule?Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: If I had a free weekend with you, I would like to ____. [Link]
The Scriptures as a "Second Language"
Each time I came across something that contradicted what I had believed before receiving Christ, I had to make a choice to reject my former teachings or experiences and replace them with what God said about the situation or circumstance. [Link]
Of Christ and Katrina, Five Years Later
I always feared seeing my hometown turn into Armageddon, and five years ago, sure enough, that’s just what happened. [Link]
The Church/Family Disconnect
Though thousands of people still attend churches around the world, very few truly experience the connection between God’s design for the church and living their lives within that design as God intended. Why the disconnect? [Link]
Paul's Lost Letters
There's been a lot of recent discussion about how we got the New Testament. What's if it's not all Dan Brown-style fiction? [Link]
God Hears Mothers' Long Distance Prayers
Letting go has never been easy for me. My son joining the military only compounded my fears. I struggled. I cried… [Link]
Solo Zone: All in the Family
Many of us have an intellectual understanding that, yes, our marital status does not define us. We leave school, we buy homes, and we participate in communities of faith. But how many of us have adopted the mindset that our reality won’t really click until we have a spouse? [Link]
Marriage is Not a Fairy Tale
As I was growing up, I read all the fairy-tale stories like Sleeping Beauty, hoping to one day meet my prince and live happily ever after. Unfortunately, most fairy tales give us an unrealistic picture of what our life with the prince will be like. [Link]
Nearer Than You Think
“Whoever is wise will . . . think about the love of the Lord.” Psalm 107:43 Aging? A necessary process to pass on to a better world. Death? Merely a brief passage, a tunnel . . . The next time you find yourself alone in a dark alley facing the undeniables of life, don’t cover them with a blanket, or ignore them with a nervous grin. Don’t turn up the TV and pretend they aren’t there. Instead, stand still, whisper God’s name, and listen. He is nearer than you think. [Link]
Heaven
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross.” Hebrews 12:2 NIV Remember, heaven was not foreign to Jesus. He is the only person to live on earth after he had lived in heaven . . . he knew heaven before he came to earth. He knew what awaited him upon his return. And knowing what awaited him in heaven enabled him to bear the shame on earth. [Link]
The Tragedy of Tiger and Elin
More than anything else, divorce demonstrates the sacredness of marriage. The shattering of a family reveals the incredible bonds that were never meant to break… [Link]
Obama Invites Confusion About His Faith
Obama's problem isn't a tiny fringe that believes he faces Mecca to pray five times a day, but an increasingly large number of Americans that aren't sure what he believes. [Link]
New York's Anti-Religious Pandemic
Downtown, most folks don't want an Islamic mosque, and uptown one man doesn't want to honor a Catholic woman who began her work in a predominantly Hindu nation. [Link]
Objective… Or Not: Science Bloggers Play Rough
New York Times columnist Virginia Heffernan has learned what many Christians already knew: Much of what is framed as "science versus religion" is really a clash of world views. [Link]
Nostalgic Flipped Plods through Tale of First Love
When there's been nothing more than mindless popcorn flicks at a theater near you this summer, you can't help but want to root for a seemingly charming little movie like Flipped. But when the end product is little more than a plodding slice of nostalgia, you simply want something more. [Link]
Natalie Grant: It's Time for a Love Revolution
Though Natalie Grant has amassed an impressive and highly lauded body of work over the last 11 years, August 24 marks the release of her eighth album, Love Revolution—a project, she says, that is a result of her compelling desire to call people to action, specifically to a radical love. [Link]
Your Masterpiece Shimmers with Ashmont Hill's Vocal Prowess
Possessing the vocal prowess of music veterans, April, Deborah, Philip and Wil—otherwise known as Ashmont Hill—distribute a heavy-hitting inspirational hybrid of gospel-tinged modern worship and potent power ballads on their second national release. [Link]
The Careful Gardener
“I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit, fruit that will last.” John 15:16 A good gardener will do what it takes to help a vine bear fruit. What fruit does God want? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These are fruits of the Spirit. And this is what God longs to see in us. And like a careful gardener, he will clip and cut away anything that interferes. [Link]
Are you meeting your wife's deepest need?
Captivating, author Stasi Eldredge writes about a woman's deepest need: "Little girls want to know, Am I lovely? The twirling skirts, the dress up, the longing to be pretty and to be seen–that is what that's all about. They are seeking an answer to their question. When I was a girl of maybe five years old, I remember standing on top of the coffee table in my grandparents' living room and singing my heart out. I wanted to capture attention–especially my father's attention. I wanted to be captivating. We all did. But for most of us, the answer to our question when we were young was 'No, there is nothing captivating about you. Get off the coffee table!'" "Nearly all a woman does in her adult life is fueled by her longing to be delighted in, her longing to be beautiful, to be irreplaceable, to have her question answered, 'Yes! You are lovely.' And down in the depths of our hearts, our question remains. Unanswered. 'Am I lovely? Do you see me? Do you want to see me? Are you captivated by what you find in me?' We live haunted by that question."Truth be told, most of our wives want to know that they are lovely… that they captivate their husbands. So here's 10 ways to meet that deepest need of hers. And listen to our president, Mark Merrill, explain how he lets his wife know she's captivating.Huddle up with your wife tonight and say: "You are captivating to me because ____." [Link]
How to Control Anger and Find Peace
If your anger is running wild, God can help you control it and find the peace needed for Surviving in an Angry World. [Link]
We Are One
When we separate people according to something as trivial as musical preferences, we evidence a fundamental failure to comprehend the heart of the gospel. We’re not only feeding toxic tribalism; we’re also saying the gospel can’t successfully bring different groups together. [Link]
Questions on How to Change the World
James Davison Hunter has written a provocative and important new book titled To Change the World. It is already sparking widespread conversation, and deservedly so. Hunter makes bold assessments that are contrary to conventional views, and does so with great intelligence and force, while maintaining a winsome and compelling demeanor. [Link]
Am I a Dispensationalist?
As the pastor of a Bible-believing church, I'm often asked whether or not I am a dispensationalist. I hesitate to say yes because of several beliefs that are often associated with the system, beliefs which I reject. The greater concern is with the biblical covenants, how and when they will be fulfilled. [Link]
Give Yourself a Raise
The bottom line: if you set your tax withholding too high, you are giving up, or at least unnecessarily delaying, a great opportunity to build your savings. [Link]
Why Aren't 'Emerging Adults' Emerging as Adults?
Consider this: In 1960, the vast majority of young adults had, by the time they reached 30, accomplished five standard milestones used to measure adult status. In 2000, less than half of women and less than a third of men had reached them. [Link]
He Forgets
“He forgives your sins—every one.” Psalm 103:3 The Message It’s against God’s nature to remember forgiven sins . . . He who is perfect love cannot hold grudges. If he does, then he isn’t perfect love. And if he isn’t perfect love, you might as well put this book down and go fishing, because both of us are chasing fairy tales. But I believe in his loving forgetfulness. And I believe he has a graciously terrible memory. [Link]
Want to be your kid's hero?
If you want to make this the best school year your children have ever had and dramatically increase parental involvement, please consider becoming an All Pro Dad's Day Team Captain for us. All Pro Dad's Day is a monthly school breakfast for fathers and their children that features good food, outstanding fun and meaningful conversation. Find out more from Tony Dungy on why this event is so important for your school and see for yourself how powerful this program is. Would you be willing to give this a shot? We promise it will be one of the best experiences you will ever have.Also, be sure to tell your wife about our sister school breakfast program called iMOM Morning. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Would you have breakfast with me once a month at your school? [Link]
We Are One
When we separate people according to something as trivial as musical preferences, we evidence a fundamental failure to comprehend the heart of the gospel. We’re not only feeding toxic tribalism; we’re also saying the gospel can’t successfully bring different groups together. [Link]
Questions on How to Change the World
James Davison Hunter has written a provocative and important new book titled To Change the World. It is already sparking widespread conversation, and deservedly so. Hunter makes bold assessments that are contrary to conventional views, and does so with great intelligence and force, while maintaining a winsome and compelling demeanor. [Link]
Give Yourself a Raise
The bottom line: if you set your tax withholding too high, you are giving up, or at least unnecessarily delaying, a great opportunity to build your savings. [Link]
Steak on a Paper Plate: A Reflection on Worship
For many churches, the biggest requirement for a “worship set” is novelty. We’re aiming for an experience. So we put together a worship service that is more influenced by the latest hits on Christian radio than by theology or history. It’s like eating steak on a paper plate. [Link]
Making Sense Out of the Ground Zero Mosque Mess
Let me begin by being clear…. building a mosque anywhere near ground zero demonstrates cruel insensitivity toward the families of both the victims and the heroes of the deadliest attack in history on American soil. It has rightly been compared to building a monument to Japanese Imperialism at Pearl Harbor or a placing a statue of Hitler at Auschwitz. [Link]
"And Then They Are All Mine" — The Agenda of Some College Professors
On many campuses, a significant number of faculty members are representatives of what has been called the “adversary culture.” Their agenda is nothing less than to separate students from their Christian beliefs and their intellectual and moral commitments. [Link]
Eggsploitation: Women As Commodity
More women are donating their eggs to infertile couples and for embryonic stem cell research. One new documentary shows why that may be a very bad idea. [Link]
Why Teens Seek the Wrong Crowd
Does your teenager feel valued and significant in your home? If not, they'll look for value and acceptance somewhere else… [Link]
Neutralizing Arguments with Your Spouse
What if there is a way to engage in lively conversation without bickering or arguing? What if you could disagree with your mate and still not argue? Would you be interested? [Link]
Experience Intimacy as God Intended
Our culture doesn't think of Christians as sexy people. But the God we worship created sex in the first place… [Link]
Go Deep
“You thrill to God’s Word, you chew on Scripture day and night.” Psalm 1:2 The Message The Bible is not a newspaper to be skimmed but rather a mine to be quarried. Here is a practical point. Study the Bible a little at a time. God seems to send messages as did his manna: one day’s portion at a time. He provides ” a command here, a command there. A rule here, a rule there. A little lesson here, a little lesson there” (Isa. 28:10). Choose depth over quantity. [Link]
One Dad's Struggle
Greg, a Play of the Day subscriber, wrote us the following: "I was promoted to the General Sales Manager position of a local radio station not long after my first child was born. That position required days of long hours that usually ended with a meeting with the owner of the station to wrap things up and plan for upcoming events. Because of that, I had missed out on a few opportunities to be home when my daughter went to sleep and, sometimes, left the house before she woke up.I mentioned that to the owner in one of those meetings. He said that being a 'winner' in the position I was in would require me to 'miss some parties and special events in your daughter's life, but she would never remember whether you were there or not.' My immediate thought at the time was, 'I would remember I was not there.'I did not stay long on that job. I was at those special events to watch her grow up and I remember all of them. She was married in March and I miss having her around now, even though I know she is happy. But I do not have the regrets of not being there as she grew up. Tragically, that radio station owner's adult son committed suicide last January." Perhaps the true definition of a "winner" is someone who spends lots of meaningful time with their children. Here are 10 ways to do so. And watch our president, Mark Merrill, as he shares a key to dealing with the work/family life tug-of-war.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: What is one thing I can do to spend more time with our children? [Link]
Low on Trust, Pakistan's Flood Victims Go Unaided
Despite the enormous need, international aid for Pakistan is slow in coming, especially compared to the outpouring of love following January's earthquake in Haiti. Why the difference? [Link]
Church Girls Gone Mild
Girls learn cattiness from sitting at the knee of the Nice Girl culture, in and outside of church. [Link]
What Do You Believe About the Bible?
There is a professor of humanities at Yale University by the name of Harold Bloom who has become widely known across this country as the determiner of what books a truly cultured and educated person should have read. [Link]
Oh Baby, This Back-up Plan is Bad
Even if someone manages to suspend disbelief and buy into this lamely conceived plotline, there's nothing about The Back-up Plan that has any resonance in the real world. Not only is the dialogue unbelievable from the get-go, but the characters are just plain kooky. [Link]
Intriguing Havah Explores Life in Eden
Author Tosca Lee has taken the first four chapters of the Bible and filled in details I never even thought to wonder about. Did Adam and Eve tell their children about their life in the Garden? If so, did they include the part about forbidden fruit or conveniently leave that out? What was it like to be the first humans? [Link]
McClarney's Collection Focuses on His Defender
A soulful collection of 15 songs, Chris McClarney's Defender rings true to its name. The album sets the mood for listeners with a pervasive sense of longing to be in God's presence, trusting that his promises are true, and painting a picture of who God really is. [Link]
Present Tense
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 NLT The present-tense Christ. He never says, “I was.” We do. We do because “we were.” We were younger, faster, prettier. Prone to be people of the past tense, we reminisce. Not God. Unwavering in strength, he need never say, “I was.” Heaven has no rear view mirrors . . . Can God be more God? No. He does not change. He is the “I am” God. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” [Link]
How to keep your kids from cursing
According to a report in the U.K.'s Daily Mail, one school in the town of Wellingborough is allowing pupils to swear at teachers, providing they only do so no more than five times a class. A tally of how much cursing is used will be kept and if the class exceeds the limit, they will be "spoken" to, the newspaper reported. As pathetic as that school policy may be, it's even sadder that children come from a home that would tolerate this level of disrespect. Do not tolerate cursing from kids. Start by watching your own mouth and what is coming through TV and movies.Here are 10 steps to keep your kids from cursing. Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: What do you think when you hear someone your age curse? [Link]
Heaven Sees
“[Jesus] died so he could give the church to himself like a bride in all her beauty . . . pure and without fault.” Ephesians 5:27 From our perspective, the church isn’t so pretty. We see the backbiting, the squabbling, the divisions. Heaven sees that, as well. But heaven sees more. Heaven sees the church as cleansed and made holy by Christ. Heaven sees the church ascending to heaven. Heaven sees the Bride wearing the spotless gown of Jesus Christ. [Link]
10 things your children need to know about failure
You may remember this great Nike commercial advocating how Michael's failure made him succeed. But do you know how to teach your kids about failure? Learning to fail and being OK with it is crucial to success. Read these 10 things children need to know about failure. Also, totally unrelated, here is another of our favorite Jordan commercials. If you have a favorite Michael Jordan video, share it on our Facebook. Huddle up with your kids tonight and say: One time, I failed when I ____. I learned that ____. [Link]
How to Turn Racism into Gracism
While a racist uses distinctions between people to hurt, a gracist uses them to heal. [Link]
Feeling the Father’s Pleasure
In Matthew 28, Jesus commissioned his followers to an awesome task. "Go," he told them, "and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you." This applies to our finances… [Link]
Follow Up Interviews without Bugging Employers
You know you are supposed to follow up after an interview, but you're concerned about the employer thinking you're a pest. Here are some simple guidelines to follow. [Link]
When Monthly Payments Aren't Easy
Generally, financial problems aren't caused by economic slumps. With rare exception, family financial problems began long before the economic slump came along, perhaps as early as childhood. [Link]
Gagging on Gaga
While her preoccupation with violence, sexual promiscuity and exhibitionism may be her path to fame, they are also a symptom of a hungry, sad and unsatisfied soul. [Link]
How to Turn Racism into Gracism
While a racist uses distinctions between people to hurt, a gracist uses them to heal. [Link]
A Conversation with an Unhappy Sheep
So you don't like your pastor. What else is new? [Link]
Training Camp For Churches?
Is it a surprise that our church team sputters at times? Maybe we should function more like a football team… [Link]
Follow Up Interviews without Bugging Employers
You know you are supposed to follow up after an interview, but you're concerned about the employer thinking you're a pest. Here are some simple guidelines to follow. [Link]
When Monthly Payments Aren't Easy
Generally, financial problems aren't caused by economic slumps. With rare exception, family financial problems began long before the economic slump came along, perhaps as early as childhood. [Link]
Ask for More
“Lord, teach me what you want me to do, and I will live by your truth.” Psalm 86:11 When kindness comes through grudgingly, we’ll remember God’s kindness to us and ask Him to make us more kind. When patience is scarce, we’ll thank Him for His and ask Him to make us more patient. When it’s hard to forgive, we won’t list all the times we’ve been given grief. Rather, we’ll list all the times we’ve been given grace and pray to become more forgiving. [Link]
Give It to Christ
“The One who comes from above is greater than all.” John 3:31 “They have no more wine,” Mary told Jesus (John 2:3). That’s it. That’s all she said. She didn’t go ballistic. She simply assessed the problem and gave it to Christ . . . Next time you face a common calamity, follow Mary’s example: Identify the problem. (You’ll half-solve it.) Present it to Jesus. (He’s happy to help.) Do what he says. (No matter how crazy.) [Link]
Good Lessons Learned in Nanny McPhee Returns
Nanny McPhee Returns is a pure delight from beginning to end. It's packed with uplifting wit, nice plot twists, and a thought-provoking storyline that's bound to bring out the best in both adults and kids. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say it borders on inspiring. [Link]
Sweet and Sour Mix in The Switch
This is a comedy about bodily fluids, with a few funny moments that unfold during the switch that give the film its title. But this is also a character-driven comedy about a man's slow awakening to the possibility that he's found someone he can spend his life with, and a responsibility to someone other than himself. [Link]
Chores? Or Acts of Service?
We model at home what it looks like to live in this world as Christ followers. As our children grow, will they respond to the world, "I didn't make that mess," or will they see each circumstance as an opportunity to simply serve someone else? [Link]
Sexual Temptation: Women Fall For It, Too
Can I talk girlfriend to girlfriend for just a moment? It's about a very uncomfortable subject, and honestly, one most of us would rather pretend does not exist in "Christian circles." It's sexual sin. [Link]
What Step of Faith Do You Need to Take?
Recently, I have been stretched, as many of us have, by the downturn in the economy, the tightening of purse-strings, job insecurity and an unknown relational future. As a result, I have had to make some decisions and take some steps that have not come easy, nor gone as expected. [Link]
Awakening the Giant of Worshipfulness
"I yearn for more regular occasions of deep worship." [Link]
Renee Riva Goes Back to the Future in Heading Home
In this final installment of the Saving Sailor trilogy, Renee Riva takes her readers back to the future. Little A.J. Degulio is all grown up and has finally returned to her childhood home of Indian Island after eight years in Italy with her boisterous family. But things have changed. [Link]
Chris August Tells His Story in No Far Away
No Far Away, the debut release from singer/songwriter Chris August under the Fervent record label, is an honest collection. The majority of songs tell a part of his story from brokenness to restoration with a glossy pop/rock sound and clean R&B influenced vocals. [Link]
It Was Love
“I lay down my life . . . No one takes it from Me.” John 10:17-18, NKJV Jesus knows the meaning of the phrase, “It’s just not right.” For it wasn’t right that people spit into the eyes that had wept for them. It wasn’t right that soldiers ripped chunks of flesh out of the back of their God. It wasn’t right that spikes pierced the hands that formed the earth . . . Was it right? No . . . Was it love? Yes. [Link]
How much do you love your kids?
We have highlighted Dick and Rick Hoyt in the past – the incredible father/son Ironman contenders, but this is one of the best interviews we have seen on them, and marvel at a father's amazing love for his son. And then reflect on what you can do this weekend to show your kids how much you love them. Here's a start – 10 Ways you can show your kids you love them. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: How do you know I love you? [Link]
Because of God
“He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and now I see.” John 9:15 It isn’t the circumstance that matters; it is God in the circumstance. It isn’t the words; it is God speaking them. It wasn’t the mud that healed the eyes of the blind man; it was the finger of God in the mud. The cradle and the cross were as common as grass. What made them holy was the One laid upon them. [Link]
She's Your Nanny: Emma Thompson's Back in Nanny McPhee Returns
As the magical nanny we first met in Nanny McPhee, actor, screenwriter and executive producer Emma Thompson brings her back once again to help a new family with five important life lessons in the hilarious and heartwarming Nanny McPhee Returns. [Link]
I’m With Anne Rice: I’m Resigning Too
There is nothing wrong with Biblical Christianity. The real problem is religion masquerading as Christianity. [Link]
The People Have Spoken: Gay Marriage at the Polls
The American people have consistently made their opposition clear at the polls. All of this exposes the claim that we're trying to "impose" our view on others. [Link]
Knowing—and Naming—Your Enemy
To move from that position to one requiring American officials to avoid mentioning the very ideology that seeks to destroy American freedom is dangerously reckless. [Link]
Step into the Second Half of Your Life with Passion and Purpose
If you use this time to renew your relationship with God, He'll give you passion and purpose that will make the second half of your life more fulfilling than the first. [Link]
The Best Ways to Save for 2 – 3 Year Projects
You need the right savings vehicle for savings that you're setting aside for non-emergency purposes, such as a major purchase that's a couple of years (or more) away. [Link]
Ways to Increase Your Income
How can you make an extra $2600 a month starting now? Dan Miller shares some ideas to get you started. [Link]
10 TV rules you must have
A majority of kids – 53 percent – in a Kaiser Family Foundation survey said their families had no rules for TV viewing. The remaining kids said they had rules, but just 20 percent said those guidelines were enforced most of the time. As if that's not bad enough, the proportion of children with cable or satellite TV in their own room grew from 29 percent to 37 percent in the past 5 years. What does all this mean? Big trouble. TV is raising many children. And most of TV is not sending our children the right message. So if you want to remain in control of your children as the parent, you must have these 10 TV rules. Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: What is the first TV rule we should start with? [Link]
"Soul" Searching in Deuteronomy 6:5: A Hebrew Word Study without Hebrew
How well does the English translation "soul" in this verse convey the meaning of the underlying Hebrew word? [Link]
Training Camp For Churches?
Is it a surprise that our church team sputters at times? Maybe we should function more like a football team… [Link]
Why Conservative Evangelicals Should Thank God for Clark Pinnock
Clark Pinnock has died. I never met Pinnock until many years after I came to know Jesus. But the gospel I believed came through preachers who were trained by Dr. Pinnock. More than that, the nation’s largest evangelical denomination would never have turned back to biblical inerrancy had it not been for this man who would later reject the concept… [Link]
Married to a Narcissist
What can you do if you find yourself in close relationship with someone with narcissistic tendencies? [Link]
How The Music Industry Sexualizes Children
Every twelve-year-old knows Rihanna. And Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. Do you? [Link]
Too Incredible
“What do you think about the Christ?” Matthew 22:42 The idea that a virgin would be selected by God to bear himself . . . The notion that God would don a scalp and toes and two eyes . . . The thought that the King of the universe would sneeze and burp and get bit by mosquitoes . . . It’s too incredible. Too revolutionary. We would never create such a Savior. We aren’t that daring. [Link]
10 ways to make your family laugh more
Laughter and a good sense of humor are integral to your health as recent studies have shown.We also know intuitively that laughter is wonderful – check out this video and then see how good you feel at the end.Joy is an important characteristic of a healthy family life, so take a look at these 10 Ways to make your family laugh more. Huddle up with your children tonight and tell them some of these knock-knock jokes. [Link]
When Life Seems Out of Control
Why is the longing for control so very powerful in a woman's life? I believe the answer lies in how we were made…or rather, what we've made of ourselves. [Link]
Amid Holy Land Tensions, Compassion Still Exists
I could feel the Palestinian-Israeli tensions when our bus reached a checkpoint leading into Bethlehem. It was a daunting scene, considering it was the birthplace of the Messiah, the Prince of Peace. [Link]
How to Find Hope in Any Situation
Thankfully, the hope that God offers is much more than a feeling: it's the reality of His presence with you. Here are some ways you can find it in the midst of any situation. [Link]
Suffering and the Biblical Story
Two ideas must be present in how we think about suffering: (1) suffering is not original; it has not always existed. (2) suffering is not something created or authored by God. [Link]
You too?
Comedian Brian Regan always makes me laugh. His take on how to use "you too" is very funny. But "you too" can be a phrase that unifies struggling Christians. [Link]
Get Low Gets High Marks as Thoughtful Summer Alternative
An uplifting story of guilt, repentance and reconciliation, Get Low stands head and shoulders above most 2010 films. It's a low-key work that is profound in its simplicity—an oasis amid meaningless fare that always dominates the multiplex, but never more so than during the summer months. [Link]
The Last Song Has a Familiar Refrain
The Last Song, written for the screen by novelist Nicholas Sparks and starring Miley Cyrus, is treacly, preposterous and full of clichés. It's also moving and, for the most part, family-friendly, focusing on themes of human failure and forgiveness. [Link]
Furry Vengeance Shamelessly Attacks Good Taste
Consider yourself warned: Furry Vengeance is truly the worst movie I've screened this year. And trust me, I've already reviewed some doozies (Tooth Fairy, Cop Out and The Bounty Hunter, for starters). [Link]
Knitted Together
“You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13, NIV “Knitted together” is how the psalmist described the process of God making man. Not manufactured or mass-produced, but knitted. Each thread of personality tenderly intertwined. Each string of temperament deliberately selected . . . The Creator, the master weaver, threading together the soul. Each one different. No two alike. None identical. [Link]
If Vanilla Ice was an All Pro Dad…
You all remember the greatness that is Vanilla Ice, don't you? Well using our collective imaginations, if he was an All Pro Dad, we bet he would put together a rap video just like this. As fathers, we celebrate our "nerdyness" if it helps us love our kids more. Nerdy dads truly are "kewl" as we highlight with these 10 principles.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Are most dads nerdy? [Link]
Brag About That
“The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is my only reason for bragging.” Galatians 6:14 Do you feel a need for affirmation? Does your self-esteem need attention? You don’t need to drop names or show off. You need only to pause at the base of the cross and be reminded of this: The maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you. And that is a fact. So if you need to brag, brag about that. [Link]
Hook your kids with fishing
Henry David Thoreau said: "Many men go fishing their entire lives without knowing it is not the fish they are after." You're not really after the fish either, but uninterrupted tranquility to really hang with and enjoy your kids. And highlight family communication. Make fishing with your children a regular habit. Tony Dungy shares why he thinks fishing is both enjoyable and important. Watch this inspirational fishing clip. Then read this great article on fishing with young children. Huddle up with your children tonight and say: Let's plan to go fishing on ____. [Link]
UnPoverty is Possible: Grow Rich by Helping the World's Poor
Mark Lutz, the author of UnPoverty, has written an eye-opening book for Compassion International's publishing arm. Mark shares jaw-dropping stories of both horror and hope, and suggests solutions involving what he calls "the miracle of capitalism." [Link]
Who Is Being Irrational? Prop 8 and Judicial Overreach
Given what we know, Judge Walker’s dismissal of concerns about the impact of being raised in a same sex household was more akin to a statement of faith than a finding of fact. Denying what we know and claiming to know what we can’t know—now that is irrational. [Link]
The Real Meaning of the ADA: Sanctity of Life
Twenty years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. For at least one person who attended the signing, that Act was something much greater than just one more law coming out of D.C. It was a demonstration of what Christian worldview can look like in practice. [Link]
Prospects of Religious Freedom Appear Grim in Islamic Maldives
Two years after political reforms, freedom of faith nowhere in sight. [Link]
Strengthening the Positive in Your Marriage
When a marriage is flooded with negative emotions, we forget the good qualities that attracted us in the first place. The good news is that the positive feelings are often still there… [Link]
The Single Life: Don't Be Afraid to (Re)Decorate
Your home should be a reflection of you. If you walked into my living room, you could tell by looking that I love Sherlock Holmes, I travel, I'm not afraid of color, and I look like my grandmother. What could I learn about you from a visit to your room? [Link]
“But He's a Good Kid…”
It’s hard for parents in pain to recognize and admit that who our children used to be is not who they are now. Many of our adult children are emotionally, intellectually, psychologically, socially, and spiritually stunted… [Link]
Unchanging
“Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.” I Thessalonians 5:8, The Message Don’t put your hope into things that change—relationships, money, talents, beauty, even health. Set your sights on the one thing that can never change: trust in your heavenly Father. [Link]
He’ll Carry Your Load
“Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—he’ll carry your load.” Psalm 55:22, The Message I wonder, how many burdens is Jesus carrying for us that we know nothing about? We’re aware of some. He carries our sin. He carries our shame. He carries our eternal debt. But are there others? Has He lifted fears before we felt them? Those times when we have been surprised by our own sense of peace? Could it be that Jesus has lifted our anxiety onto His shoulders and placed a yoke of kindness on ours? [Link]
Testosterone-Fueled Expendables is One Lame Throwback
Like watching Simon LeBon attempting to bust a move while singing "Hungry Like the Wolf" during a Duran Duran reunion tour, you can't stop wondering why 64-year-old Sylvester Stallone, who wrote, directed and stars in The Expendables, simply didn't quit while he was ahead. [Link]
Journey Leads to Selfish Awakening in Eat Pray Love
That we are to be moved by the big-screen version of Elizabeth Gilbert's yearlong journey of self-discovery in Eat Pray Love is absurd. That the memoir on which it's based (and is reverent to) has become a phenomenon is downright disturbing. [Link]
Storytelling Slacks in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Gamers will understand the structure and hodgepodge approach to storytelling in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World—or so I'm told—but the rest of us, who demand a smidgeon of narrative and stylistic consistency, will wonder what this film has wrought. [Link]
Revive My Heart, Lord
Sometimes we expect revival to look one way, but perhaps God is working the same result in a different fashion. [Link]
A Battle for Integrity
You want to shock the world? Start here–demonstrating the guts to do what's right when no one is looking. [Link]
How to Know Truth and Evaluate Competing Worldviews
Do we really have to say “This is true and that is false; this is right and that is wrong?” Why can’t everyone just be right? Chris Daniel’s article provides helpful insight and answers. [Link]
Chris McClarney's Defender, Working All Things Out for Our Good
With the release of Defender, Chris McClarney delivers one of the most soulful modern worship collections in recent years—a triumphant proclamation that God's got his sleeves rolled up and he's working it all out for our good … even if we can't see it. [Link]
A Word
“The Word was with God, and the Word was God” John 1:1 I’ve always perceived [the apostle] John as a fellow who viewed life simply . . . For example, defining Jesus would be a challenge to the best of writers, but John handles the task with casual analogy. The Messiah, in a word, was “the Word.” A walking message. A love letter. Be he a fiery verb or a tender adjective, he was, quite simply, a word. [Link]
Have you taught your kids how to use money wisely?
MIT did a study called "Always Leave Home Without It" and compared how much individuals would pay for the same item using either cash or a credit card. Buyers paid an average of 30-40% more for the same item when a credit card was used instead of cash. Credit cards have their place, however, if you use cash for items such as clothing, food, eating out etc. and you'll probably be much more price-conscious. And you won't have to worry about a multi-page bill at the end of the month. Good finances are integral to a good family life. Make sure you teach your children well.Learn about a great way to teach your kids finances from this classic Bill Cosby Monopoly clip. And, here are 10 Ways to teach your kids about money. Huddle up with your children tonight and run them through the same Monopoly drill Bill Cosby did with Theo. [Link]
The Door is Open
“There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” I Timothy 2:5 NIV Somewhere, sometime, somehow you got tangled up in garbage, and you’ve been avoiding God. You’ve allowed a veil of guilt to come between you and your Father. You wonder if you could ever feel close to God again. God welcomes you. God is not avoiding you. God is not resisting you. The door is open, and God invites you in. [Link]
Mel's Meltdown: A Cautionary Tale for Christian Artists
There is no excuse for much of the recent behavior demonstrated by the director of The Passion of the Christ. Mel Gibson's choices have undoubtedly led to the sad state of his life, and we can learn from that. I'm also certain the enemy has been there every step, egging Gibson on… [Link]
Thank God for the New Atheists?
Self-styled “evangelist” for evolution, Michael Dowd, gushes that the New Atheists “have come to our rescue,” but that “rescue” is an escape from biblical Christianity, and even from any belief in the supernatural. In his view, the God of the Bible is neither believable nor good. [Link]
Judging Marriage
Judge Vaughn Walker overturned California's Proposition 8, which defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Even though his ruling isn't surprising, his dismissal of the opinions of the people of California and five thousand-plus years of human tradition is breath-taking. [Link]
The World's Smallest Rotary Engine
The tiny outboard motor of the bacterial flagellum has become a cornerstone of the Intelligent Design debate among proponents and critics alike. Here, ID supporters tackle the arguments one by one. Darwinists like to claim that there is no debate over Darwinism within the scientific community. The reality is quite the opposite. Not only is there a debate but design theorists have the evidence on their side. [Link]
Get Back at Your Creditors
Late fees, punitive interest rates, over-limit fees, loading up your credit report with negative information — it's enough to make you scream! If you've had enough, maybe it's time for you to turn the tables and get back at them. [Link]
High School: Begin with the End in Mind
When our kids were still young, someone gave us great advice: she told us to begin with the end in mind. Think about graduation before your child's freshman year. [Link]
Woo your Wife with the Written Word
A postcard sent on September 14, 1922 was delivered a few years ago to its final destination – a mere 82 years overdue. It was a love letter written by Roscoe St. Myer to his wife who lived in Port Clinton, Ohio. Neither of the St. Meyers are living, but it's a very special marriage communication for the surviving family. Which begs the question, are you writing notes and cards to your wife? If you don't right now, we promise it will stun her. Give it a try. They'll totally transform your relationship with her, and your thoughts on paper will also survive generations after you're gone.Read this article for more on writing love notes to your wife. And hear from some of our iMOM's on what husbands should keep in mind when they write a love note.Huddle up tonight and write your wife a love note. [Link]
Ramadan: Pray for Muslims, Persecuted Christians
When Christians hold fear and anger for anyone for whom Jesus died, it’s impossible for them to reach out with His love to share the Good News. [Link]
Joining God's Work through the Power of Prayer
In a strange, mysterious way, God has chosen to enlist His children to accomplish His purpose for reaching the world and establishing His kingdom on earth! Mind boggling isn't it? [Link]
Staying Under God's Umbrella of Grace
I have often believed that I might have the "wrong" thing in my life when what I have been told does not match with what I can see. I often question God just as the little boy questioned me. [Link]
Confessing an Affair without Losing Your Marriage
Usually, I'm approached by the spouse who just discovered the affair of the other. However, this article isn't for those whose spouse cheated; it's for those who strayed. [Link]
Bringing Christ to School
A new school year begins soon. What an opportune time for a church to encourage students and teachers. Need fresh ideas? [Link]
Are You Too Busy?
How do you figure out how busy you should be as couple? It begins with finding your pace as individuals… [Link]
The Answer for Weariness
“The teaching I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.” Mathew 11:30 Jesus says he is the solution for weariness of soul. Go to him. Be honest with him. Admit you have soul secrets you’ve never dealt with. He already knows what they are. He’s just waiting for you to ask him to help . . . Go ahead. You’ll be glad you did. Those near to you will be glad as well. [Link]
Can your children really talk to you?
Peter, a Play of the Day subscriber, shared this great fathering principle for family communication: "I told my daughter that anytime that she needs to talk to me about something and is concerned that I might get angry, that she should tell me 'I need to talk with you and I don't want you to get upset.' This provides her with a comfort level to know that I will listen to her without blowing up or yelling at her. It alerts me to the fact that she has something important to tell me and that I need to listen and reflect on the matter so that I can give her support and guidance. Knowing that she can talk to me and that I will listen has been important to my daughter and allows the lines of communication to remain open." Great idea Peter! Will the rest of you implement it?Read these proven ways to communicate well with your children. Tony Dungy shares about why he thinks it's easy for his children, NFL players and the public to talk with him.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you think I am easy to talk to? [Link]
Worship Is A Big Deal: Part 1
The way a church worships is a big deal. Paul made it clear that when Christians are gathered by God to worship, they should worship in such a God-centered and gospel-fueled way that any visiting non-Christians would say, “God is really among you.” [Link]
Hurting People Hurt People
We seem wired to find fault and cast blame, minimizing our own faults while maximizing the faults of our mate. While there are certainly situations where one mate has perpetrated abuse on the other, many marriages are fraught with mutual wounding. [Link]
Christians and Public Education
I am frequently asked for my thoughts on "public education." Granted this is a dicey issue that can get you into a lot of trouble very quickly. However, the question is legitimate, given education's enormous role in shaping our children; thus, as Christians, we have no choice but to wrestle with the answers, even if we don't like them. [Link]
The Mosque at Ground Zero: Sense and Sensibility
Tolerance used to mean listening respectfully to others' opinions, even when you disagree. Tolerance as Bloomberg understands it, means "I won't say no to you for anything you want, and you don't say no to me for anything I want."–The ultimate expression of political correctness, and the most certain formula for moral chaos. [Link]
Invisible Children Remembers Volunteer Killed in Uganda Bombings
On Saturday, several hundred people overflowed the sanctuary of Bethel Baptist Church in Wilmington, Del., as they gathered for a memorial celebration that honored Nate Henn. [Link]
Even Comedy's Own Dynamic Duo Can't Save Date Night
Somehow in the midst of bad writing and a hackneyed case of missing identity that grows increasingly sillier as Date Night goes on, Steve Carell and Tina Fey still shine as two suburbanites trying to keep their marital spark alive with a little night-on-the-town spontaneity. [Link]
Death and Dark Comedy Collide Awkwardly in Death at a Funeral
Other than giving Luke Wilson an opportunity to star in something other than those annoying AT&T commercials, there was really no need to revisit the story of a family funeral gone seriously awry in Neil LaBute's remake of Death at a Funeral. [Link]
Slave Trade, Government Corruption at the Heart of Blood Ransom
The horror of Blood Ransom lies in its factual basis. The author draws on her own experience as a missionary in Mosambique, Africa, when she spins her tale of slave trade, government corruption, stifling poverty, and hopeless victims. [Link]
True Wealth
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6 NIV We usually get what we hunger and thirst for. The problem is, the treasures of earth don’t satisfy. The promise is, the treasures of heaven do . . . Blessed are those who, if everything they own were taken from them, would be, at most inconvenienced, because their true wealth is elsewhere. [Link]
Snapshots in your fathering future
Dr. Ken Canfield from the National Center for Fathering writes about fatherhood transitions:Snapshot number one: You're wrestling two suitcases up the final flight of stairs to your daughter's new dorm room. She's already claimed the bottom bunk. Green Day blares from someone's stereo. Out on the lawn, you almost got beaned by an errant Frisbee. This will be home – at least until Thanksgiving – for the girl who used to sleep under your roof and eat around your dinette table. Snapshot number two: You're under the sink in your son's new apartment. It's old, but the rent is cheap; and besides, it goes with his collection of garage-sale couches and end tables. The sink's been backing up since the day he moved in, but the landlord's out of town. He gives you a call and, of course, you stop by with your monkey wrench. Snapshot number three: You're decked out in a tuxedo for only the third-and-last time in your life. In the crook of your arm rests the hand of the sweetest girl that God ever created. You wish her hand could stay there forever. But then you hear, "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" You breathe deep and swallow hard. "Her mother and I." And so you launch your children out into their own lives. Daughters marry and take new names. Sons move to new addresses. One day, they climb in the car, roll down the window, and you watch them back out of the driveway, toss a wave, and then turn a corner and disappear. Oh, they'll be back. But for now, you wrap one arm around your wife's waist and walk back into a house that is suddenly quieter than you ever wanted it to be.That day will come. But tonight you can treasure your children still living at home.Here's a great article on parenting college age children. And for more on why you will always be a father no matter how old your kids are, read this. Finally, hear thoughts from Tony Dungy about how society forces our kids to grow up too fast.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What is the first thing you think you will do when you have moved out on your own? [Link]
A Gavel Falls on Marriage: The Proposition 8 Decision
The importance of the decision handed down by Judge Vaughn Walker in California’s Proposition 8 trial will be difficult to exaggerate. Proponents of same-sex marriage immediately declared a major victory — and for good reason. The central institution of human civilization suffered a direct hit, and its future hangs in the balance. [Link]
Starting with a Bang
The period from 1915 to 1963 saw a revolution in man's perception of the cosmos. Scientists were at last convinced that the universe had a beginning, just as the book of Genesis had always said. But ever since this unavoidable conclusion was reached, there have been tireless efforts to avoid it! [Link]
I Wanted to Quit Too…
Anne Rice and I share one big thing in common. I also thought about “quitting” the organized version of Christianity that we call church. [Link]
What Would You Trade for Money?
Would you trade your daughter for a new car? Your son for a bigger house? Your spouse for a corner office? You wouldn't, would you? At least, not intentionally. [Link]
Leaving Traditional College Behind?
Two graduates of accelerated distance learning share what students need to get out of the college box – and what every employer is looking for. [Link]
Are You a Radical?
In Radical: Taking back your faith from the American dream, David Platt illustrates a deep and powerful picture of where the church in America is today… [Link]
Washed Away
“The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from every sin.” I John 1:7 The cleansing is not a promise for the future but a reality in the present. Let a speck of dust fall on the soul of a saint, and it is washed away. Let a spot of filth land on the heart of God’s child, and it is wiped away . . . Our Savior kneels down and gazes upon the darkest acts of our lives. But rather than recoil in horror, he reaches out in kindness and says, “I can clean that if you want.” [Link]
How wonderful dogs can be for children
Dogs truly are man's best friend and are amazing as these videos show. In addition, dogs can also be a wonderful way for your children to learn responsibility. Here's our Pet Care Contract, and our Pet Responsibility Chart. Teach your children the joys of taking care of dogs. It's the perfect prelude to their future parenting.Huddle up with your children tonight tell them your favorite memory of your dog growing up. [Link]
Through Faith
“A person is made right with God through faith.” Romans 3:28 Dare you stand before God and ask him to save you because of your suffering or your sacrifice or your tears or your study? . . . Nor did Paul. It took him decades to discover what he wrote in only one sentence. “A person is made right with God through faith.” Not through good works, suffering, or study. All those may be the result of salvation but they are not the cause of it. [Link]
Jesus is Coming
“Jesus is coming with the clouds, and everyone will see him.” Revelation 1:7 Every person who has ever lived will be present at the final gathering. Every heart that has ever beat. Every mouth that has ever spoken. On that day you will be surrounded by sea of people. Rich, poor. Famous, unknown. Kings, bums. Brilliant, demented. All will be present. And all will be looking in one direction. All will be looking at Him—the Son of Man. Wrapped in splendor. Shot through with radiance. [Link]
Cracks in the Dam
It’s a bright, sunny morning in America. It appears that nothing has changed. But there is water gushing from the cracks in the foundation. [Link]
Ferrell's Just Coasting in Uninspired Other Guys
For anyone who loves Will Ferrell's brand of absurd man-child humor, you get more of that in The Other Guys—but only in fits and starts. If his early films felt consistently inspired, this one follows the trend of feeling more like a work-for-hire. Ferrell's just coasting here, as is the whole movie. [Link]
Jesus … Single Like Me: He Knows What It Feels Like to Be Alone
Jesus knew from the beginning that without total reliance on God, life would not have purpose. He came, ready to take on our load, our burden and our sins. So that in doing this we would never be alone. Our total dependence on Christ means that we are not alone. [Link]
Welcome to Audacious Faith
Through biblical evidence and real-life experiences, Steven Furtick shows you what happens when ordinary believers move beyond "purpose" to passion—and asking God for the impossible becomes a normal way of life. [Link]
The Promise of Persecution
Historians agree that there have been 10 great persecutions against the church. Instead of growing weaker during these times of persecution, the church actually grew stronger. The same is true today. [Link]
The Gospel of Don Quixote
The musical Man of La Mancha is based on the novel by Miguel de Cervantes. The play unfolds as a play within a play. The story is full of spiritual allegories and it starts with the gentle knight errant, Don Quixote. [Link]
Harsh Realities Aren't Whitewashed in Artsy Kisses
Though many independent films favor an equally bleak canvas for telling such a sad story, Kisses is striking and beautifully conceived thanks to gorgeous black-and-white photography and an enchanting score, even when the storyline turns dark and dangerous. [Link]
The Bishop Continues James' Bowers Files Series
FBI Agent Patrick Bowers, last seen in Steven James' The Knight, takes on the baffling case of a pair of serial killers who leave behind only the evidence they want found. Seemingly unrelated murders—all equally gruesome in their own special ways—draw Bowers into the investigative team. [Link]
Andrew Peterson Focuses on Things That Matter in Counting Stars
Andrew Peterson's latest undertaking is a starry tapestry woven tightly with what he says are the "things that matter." Counting Stars is his thirteenth studio project and bursts with the singer-songwriter's affable and honest storytelling abilities. [Link]
He Follows
“God, we thank you; we thank you because you are near.” Psalm 75:1 God is the God who follows. I wonder . . . have you sensed him following you? We often miss him . . . We don’t know our Helper when he is near. But he comes. Through the kindness of a stranger. The majesty of a sunset . . . Through a word well spoken or a touch well timed, have you sensed his presence? [Link]
Will you be remembered 100 years from now?
Dr. W.G. Watson is definitely being remembered for his 100th birthday. He is the oldest known practicing physician in the U.S. and delivered a doctor currently working in his practice. Watch this amazing man at work.Most of us will not make it to our centurion birthday, but we may still be remembered by our children and grandchildren. How? As philosopher Albert Pike puts it, "What you do for yourself alone dies with you … what you do for others and the world remains and is immortal." If you live in a way that puts your children's priority above your own, you will live on forever, both in heaven and in their hearts.Here are10 ways to be remembered 100 years from now. Huddle up tonight and ask your children: In 50 years, how do you think you will remember me? [Link]
Raising Kids to be Christ-like Servants
I must confess that as a parent I don't always model servanthood. Too often I model the opposite… [Link]
Attack the Problem, Not the Person
Stubborn individualism is, in my opinion, at the root of many marital problems. Rather than attacking their problems, facing issues as a team, spouses attack each other… [Link]
Five Areas of a Woman’s Life That Need God’s Touch
After surveying nearly 100 women, I found several common areas in which women, myself included, need the touch of God to be whole and complete. Scripture addresses these areas of a woman's life so that we can receive His healing touch… [Link]
Love Divine: One Lesbian's Decision for Chastity in the Church
Eve Tushnet is still a lesbian–something she doesn't expect will change. Nonetheless, she's taken an amazingly countercultural approach to same-sex love. [Link]
With N.Y. Pastor's Help, A Haitian Orphanage Is Reborn
Some believe what happened at the Reformation Hope orphanage on Jan. 12 was a miracle. And some now regard what has happened since that awful day as a second act of divine intervention. [Link]
Mixed Messages on Marriage
Is marriage good for children and families, or not? Does it really matter whether Tripp's parents, Bristol Palin and Levy Johnston, get married? Research says yes. [Link]
Don’t Miss the Point
“Lord, you bless those who do what is right.” Psalm 5:12 The trip from Egypt to the promised land can be made in nine days (Deuteronomy 1:2). It took the Israelites thirty-eight years. What they should have done, they didn’t . . . So God decided they needed some time to rethink a few things. Maybe God is wanting to teach you a few things. Pay attention. You don’t want to spend thirty-eight years missing the point. [Link]
10 ways to teach your children to overcome obstacles
Artist John Bramblitt shows us what overcoming obstacles looks like. What an amazing story of beauty and perseverance. Here are our 10 ways to teach your children to overcome obstacles. Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: What is something really hard you had to overcome in your life? [Link]
The Lesson of Tax Cuts: Ideology Vs. Reality
As a new year – and a new chapter in our nation's political and economic history – looms, Americans in every socioeconomic bracket face a potential tax hike. [Link]
The Best Apologetic
As I speak to Christian audiences around the country, I am often asked for “effective arguments” to refute this particular philosophy or that mind-set that stands in opposition to the reception of the gospel. These are well-intended Christians who are earnestly trying to equip themselves in order to present the most effective witness. However, I sometimes sense that we may be more interested in merely winning arguments; thus we may wield apologetics as "martial arts"—and this I do not want to contribute to. [Link]
Anne Rice Quits Christianity
I’m not going to defend the church because it needs no defense. Everyone knows the church is full of hypocrites and sinners because those are the people Jesus came to save. [Link]
The Sinkhole Syndrome
To all outward appearances he's a man of Christian faithfulness and integrity. Then, without warning, his life collapses into a sinkhole of sin. Everyone wonders how it could have happened so quickly. In most cases, it soon becomes known that—like most sinkholes—the problem didn't develop overnight. [Link]
How to Climb Out of Your Career Rut
No young person ever says, "I want to be stuck in a career rut when I grow up," yet that is exactly where many working adults find themselves. [Link]
Finance Q&A: Is Identity Theft Protection Worth the Cost?
Dear Deborah: With all the hype about identity theft, is it worth it to pay for these programs offered on TV or through credit cards? [Link]
Marry Outside the Faith? The Logic of Christian Marriage
The sociological research presents a clear case for social concern, but the Christian case against mixed-faith marriage emerged long before the academic discipline of sociology. That case is rooted in the logic of the Gospel itself, and in the reality of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. [Link]
Enough
“He is able . . . to run to the cry of . . . those who are being . . . tested.” Hebrews 2:18 AMP Jesus was angry enough to purge the temple, hungry enough to eat raw grain, distraught enough to weep in public, fun loving enough to be called a drunkard, winsome enough to attract kids, . . . radical enough to get kicked out of town, responsible enough to care for his mother, tempted enough to know the smell of Satan, and fearful enough to sweat blood . . . Whatever you are facing, he knows how you feel. [Link]
How to really connect with your children
If you want to find out how connected you are to your children, we challenge you to take our 5-minute quiz to see how close you really are to them. Then for the 10 Ways to stay connected with your children, visit here. Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: Do you think I am connected to our kids? [Link]
Conquer Your Student Debt
The good news is you can escape from student debt prison. But first you have to learn everything about the confusing world of student loans… [Link]
Anne Rice Hasn’t Betrayed You
In recent days, the Internet has been abuzz with news that Anne Rice has renounced Christianity. The best-selling vampire novelist, who professed faith in Christ several years ago and has since written several books about Jesus and her conversion, publicly quit Christianity on her Facebook page. [Link]
A “New Agnosticism” — Coming Soon?
Given what is at stake, living on the basis of a mere assumption that we cannot know if God exists seems a bit flimsy. [Link]
The Victory of Reason: Christianity and the Triumph of the West
Globalization is about more than markets and technology. Globalization and Christianity are linked in ways you may never have imagined. [Link]
Killing Fields Verdict Fuels Christian's Forgiveness
Former Khmer Rouge operative Kaing Guev Eav's sentence is not severe enough, in the minds of many Cambodians; forgiveness is far from their thoughts. Silas is not one of them. [Link]
Inner Beauty Question Answered in VeggieTales' Sweetpea Beauty
Sweetpea Beauty is the first VeggieTales production created specifically for girls. Answering the question, "What is true beauty?", the veggies teach biblical truth and entertain with the creativity and hilarity we've come to expect. [Link]
Believers Enlist Hollywood Pros To Save a Life
If you're a serious evangelical filmmaker, there's one response you do not want to hear: "For a Christian movie, that was pretty good." Yet when it comes to the more impressive motion pictures produced by churches and ministries, this backhanded compliment remains the most ubiquitous—and often, the most deserved. [Link]
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore Should've Gone Straight to Video
Aside from Toy Story 3 and Despicable Me, kids have really gotten the short end of the cinematic stick this summer. And sadly, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, which is so bad it should've gone straight to video, doesn't exactly up the ante. [Link]
Taking a Long Time to Boil
“Love is patient.” I Corinthians 13:4 The Greek word used here for patient . . . means “taking a long time to boil.” Think about a pot of boiling water . . . Water boils quickly when the flame is high. It boils slowly when the flame is low. Patience “keeps the burner down.” Patience isn’t naive. It doesn’t ignore misbehavior. It just keeps the flame low. It waits. It listens . . . This is how God treats us. And, according to Jesus, this is how we should treat others. [Link]
You're going to love Tony Dungy's new book
Are you a mentor/ leader? Coach Tony Dungy can help you answer that question. In his new book, The Mentor Leader, Coach Dungy says, "…mentor leaders seek to have a direct, intentional, and positive impact on the people they lead by showing them how to succeed… by example and through step-by-step teaching." Ultimately, being a mentor is about being a positive influence in your relationships, and the key to becoming a mentor leader is learning how to put other people first. Tony also adds, "If we lose sight of people, then being a leader has lost its purpose." To hear about a time when Tony quit football, but went back because of his Mentor Leader, watch this. If you'd like to order a copy of The Mentor Leader, go here.Huddle Up with your kids tonight and ask: Who is your favorite teacher and why? [Link]
Kay Arthur on Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation & Application
As a writer of over 100 books and Bible studies, Kay Arthur traverses the Bible day after day, constantly discovering timeless truths, written thousands of years ago, yet still as fresh as if they had been penned this morning. [Link]
Singles in the Church: A Compelling Role to Play
Singlehood represents a burgeoning social dynamic in North America. To the extent that single believers trust the Lord, join in the mission of the church, and honor marriage by respecting its boundaries, we offer a compelling role to play in communities of faith. [Link]
And the Truth Shall Set You Free
The promise that we could become an honest society of individuals who require truth from our elected officials and businesses leaders may seem a pipedream, but it is a revolutionary battle worth fighting. [Link]
What Parents Should Know About Teen Suicide
With the increasing prevalence of teen suicide, no parent can afford to ignore the possibility. Suicide is now the third leading cause of death for high-school students. Here are warning signs a teen may be struggling. [Link]
Unlock the Heart of Your Husband
Unlocking a man's full potential — when you understand his core need and seek to be a teammate fulfilling that need — is the best gift a man could get! Here are some insights from relationship experts Bill and Pam Farrel. [Link]
The Long Good-Bye: Five Lessons for Parents of College-Bound Children
We have watched hundreds of parents drop their kids off at camp or college and have learned a few things in the process. As parental mistakes were made we came to recognize those parents: the ones who made growing up much harder for their adult children. [Link]
Between Heaven and Earth
“God is great, and worth a thousand Hallelujahs.” Psalm 96:4, The Message Never did the obscene come so close to the holy as it did on Calvary. Never did the good in the world so intertwine with the bad as it did on the cross. Never did what is right involve itself so intimately with what is wrong, as it did when Jesus was suspended between heaven and earth. God on a cross. Humanity at its worst. Divinity at its best. [Link]
Smoking, a Russian tragedy and your teen
Russian literary critic Mikhail Bakhtin was one of the great original minds of the twentieth century. Yet we have only a fragment of his master work. After Bakhtin completed his book, he kept a copy of the manuscript for himself and sent the other copy to his publisher in Germany. The manuscript he sent was destroyed in a bombing raid. By the time he heard that his sent manuscript (which had taken him ten years to complete) was lost, Bakhtin's personal copy was no longer intact. During the WW II siege of Leningrad, there was a terrible shortage of paper and Bakhtin's nicotine addiction had become too much for him. Page by page he had rolled cigarettes and smoked his sole remaining manuscript.Smoking can destroy lives in many ways. And the best way to keep your kids from smoking is to encourage them to never start by these great parenting tips. Huddle up with your teen tonight and say: Smoking is really stupid because ____. [Link]
"Economic Justice" as "Social Justice"
Like the very progressives that champion the term "social justice," the definition seems to evolve based on progressives' ever-evolving purposes. [Link]
Kay Arthur on Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation & Application
As a writer of over 100 books and Bible studies, Kay Arthur traverses the Bible day after day, constantly discovering timeless truths, written thousands of years ago, yet still as fresh as if they had been penned this morning. [Link]
Singles in the Church: A Compelling Role to Play
Singlehood represents a burgeoning social dynamic in North America. To the extent that single believers trust the Lord, join in the mission of the church, and honor marriage by respecting its boundaries, we offer a compelling role to play in communities of faith. [Link]
And the Truth Shall Set You Free
The promise that we could become an honest society of individuals who require truth from our elected officials and businesses leaders may seem a pipedream, but it is a revolutionary battle worth fighting. [Link]
What Parents Should Know About Teen Suicide
With the increasing prevalence of teen suicide, no parent can afford to ignore the possibility. Suicide is now the third leading cause of death for high-school students. Here are warning signs a teen may be struggling. [Link]
Unlock the Heart of Your Husband
Unlocking a man's full potential — when you understand his core need and seek to be a teammate fulfilling that need — is the best gift a man could get! Here are some insights from relationship experts Bill and Pam Farrel. [Link]
The Long Good-Bye: Five Lessons for Parents of College-Bound Children
We have watched hundreds of parents drop their kids off at camp or college and have learned a few things in the process. As parental mistakes were made we came to recognize those parents: the ones who made growing up much harder for their adult children. [Link]
The Reward of Christianity
“I want to know Christ.” Philippians 3:10 The Fort Knox of faith is Christ. Fellowship with him. Walking with him. Pondering him. Exploring him. The heart-stopping realization that in him you are part of something ancient, endless, unstoppable, and unfathomable. And that he, who can dig the Grand Canyon with his pinkie, thinks you’re worth his death on Roman timber. Christ is the reward of Christianity. [Link]
In Transit
“Our homeland is in heaven, and we are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven.” Philippians 3:20 You’ve seen people treat this world like it was a permanent home. It’s not. You seen people pour time and energy into life like it will last forever. It won’t. You’ve seen people so proud of what they have done, that they hope they will never have to leave—they will. We all will. We are in transit. [Link]
Are There No "Normal" People?
A line from one of my favorite comic strips caught my attention recently. "There are only two kinds of people. Abnormal people and people you don’t yet know well enough." [Link]
Discomfort with Dad Signifies a Deeper Problem
The Atlantic recently made the case that "there's nothing objectively essential about his contribution" in an age when any two adults can make a family. Are fathers unnecessary after all? [Link]
Sued for Self-Preservation: Arizona's Immigration Solution
By suing the state of Arizona for “unconstitutionally” passing immigration legislation, the federal government is tacitly acknowledging its dereliction of duty. [Link]
Charlie St. Cloud is More Creepy Than Weepy
The trouble with Charlie St. Cloud is that the screenplay tries to be so many things (part Field of Dreams, part The Sixth Sense, part The Notebook), that it doesn't do anything particularly well, including generating the necessary waterworks to win over its target demographic. [Link]
Sexual Jokes Coarsen Dinner for Schmucks
Dinner for Schmucks, a remake of the French farce The Dinner Game, expands on the original in many ways that improve the story, but it adds a heavy dose of sexual content that prevents the film from being easily recommendable. [Link]
Billerbeck Takes on Teens in Perfectly Dateless
Perfectly Dateless delivers the laughs that readers have come to expect from Kristin Billerbeck. She combines a witty phrase with hilarious situations and an uncanny teenaged voice. She also seems to have a solid handle on the culture in which today's teens live, particularly Christian teens. [Link]
The Empty Tomb
“Come, see where his body was lying.” Matthew 28:6 NLT Take a look at the vacated tomb. Did you know the opponents of Jesus never challenged it’s vacancy? No Pharisee or Roman soldier ever led a contingent back to the burial site and declared, “The angel was wrong. The body is here. It was all a rumor . . .” Helps explain the Jerusalem revival. When the apostles argued for the empty tomb, the people looked to the Pharisees for a rebuttal. But they had none to give. [Link]
Do your kids have a cell phone obsession?
Cell phones can definitely lead to unplanned issues as this humorous commercial shows. Laughing aside, many kids are addicted to their cell phones – specifically texting. Amanda Lenhart of the Pew Research Center notes the social pressure that teenagers say they feel to respond to text messages quickly, regardless of the time of day or night. A Pew study found that one in three teens sends more than 100 text messages per day. More than 100! Well, as the father, you have the authority to reign in your child's cell phone obsession. Start them off right with our complimentary cell phone contract so they'll know what you expect.Huddle up with your older children tonight and ask: Do you think some kids are addicted to cell phones? Do you think it's a little or big problem? [Link]
Christians Reexamine Morality of Birth Control
Is contraception a sin? The very suggestion made Bryan Hodge and his classmates at Chicago's Moody Bible Institute laugh. Then Hodge started to think about it. [Link]
'Only' a Preacher: The Pastor's Place in Community Influence
Pastors no longer automatically hold positions of community influence. But they can — and should — earn a place in their communities by participating in them. [Link]
Theo-tainment versus Discipleship
The modern idea of church, or ecclesiology, it seems, is that the church exists as a venue to attract the lost through dynamic programs, performances, and events—the more dynamic the better. A pastor friend of mine referred to this as “theo-tainment.” The problem with this approach exclusively is that a disproportionate amount of the church’s time and resources go into these programs at the expense of making disciples and training the body. [Link]
Bible Women
When I was in India teaching, I encountered many strange and exotic things. It is said that India assaults all of your senses at once. This was in a way true for me. There I found something — or someone — who I recognized. I want to talk to you about her. I found her coming to me in several persons. [Link]
Escaping the Lies of Gambling Addiction
In his book Chance to Change, Michael Vlach explains that gambling and lying go hand in hand. "Problem gamblers usually do not have to think about lying and deception — it comes naturally," he says. So how does a gambler change his ways? [Link]
Tony Dungy: From Super Bowl Coach to 'All Pro Dad'
Tony Dungy no longer needs the game-day apparel and gear of an NFL head coach, but that doesn't keep him from donning distinctively different attire when the occasion calls for it. [Link]
Probabilities: What the Past Suggests About the Future
What the market's long-term average return makes clear is that time is on the side of the long-term investor. The longer you're willing to keep your money in the market, the greater the likelihood of success. [Link]
Seeing the Source
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9 NIV Only in seeing his Maker does a man truly become man. For in seeing his Creator man catches a glimpse of what he was intended to be. He who would see God would then see the reason for death and the purpose of time. Destiny? Tomorrow? Truth? All are questions within the reach of the man who knows his source. It is in seeing Jesus that man sees his Source. [Link]
What is your child's game worth?
In a month or two, you will be getting your son or daughter's fall athletic schedule. What will it be worth to you? Will you rearrange your schedule to make sure you are there as often as possible, or will your kids simply get your leftovers? Keep in mind your children will never, ever be this age again. What's that worth to you? The only way to truly know is whether you will be there or not. And by just showing up, you will be their hero.Visit here for the 10 Ways to be your child's hero. And Tony Dungy shares about his plans to go out of his way to attend his son's football games at the University of Oregon.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is it to you that I attend your games? Why? [Link]
Theo-tainment versus Discipleship
The modern idea of church, or ecclesiology, it seems, is that the church exists as a venue to attract the lost through dynamic programs, performances, and events—the more dynamic the better. A pastor friend of mine referred to this as “theo-tainment.” The problem with this approach exclusively is that a disproportionate amount of the church’s time and resources go into these programs at the expense of making disciples and training the body. [Link]
Probabilities: What the Past Suggests About the Future
What the market's long-term average return makes clear is that time is on the side of the long-term investor. The longer you're willing to keep your money in the market, the greater the likelihood of success. [Link]
Pressing On When Faced With the Impossible
Life seldom turns out the way we plan it, but there are many moments in our lives when God gets to show up and show out. When you only have a prayer, know that it is enough to move the very throne of God to action. [Link]
How Much Do You Have to Hate Someone to Not Proselytize?
Our current climate of spiritual openness coupled with spiritual desire and hunger for spiritual experience should be a perfect setting for evangelism. Yet this is not what is happening. [Link]
Sugar and Spice and How We Learned to Act Nice
Many women have been deeply hurt by their own gender. [Link]
Worship Is A Big Deal: Part 1
The way a church worships is a big deal. Paul made it clear that when Christians are gathered by God to worship, they should worship in such a God-centered and gospel-fueled way that any visiting non-Christians would say, “God is really among you.” [Link]
The Headship God Supports
When a husband allows God to lead him, and when his heart is open to God and His purposes, then his headship receives God's support. So what does that kind of leadership look like in practical terms? [Link]
He Said-She Said: Socializing and Asperger's Syndrome
It's hard enough meeting new people when you're "single and ready to mingle." So what's a guy to do when you throw Asperger's Syndrome into the mix? Find out what "he" and "she" have suggested in this edition of "He Said-She Said." [Link]
Allowances, Chores and Teaching Biblical Stewardship
Should you give your child an allowance? Should it be connected to chores? Financial and parenting expert Shane Barkley addresses the differing approaches to teaching kids money management skills. [Link]
What Faith Sees
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:11 NIV Faith is trusting what the eye can’t see. Eyes see the prowling lion. Faith sees Daniel’s angel. Eyes see storms. Faith sees Noah’s rainbow. Your eyes see your faults. Your faith sees your Savior. Your eyes see your guilt. Your faith sees his blood. [Link]
Making memories with your children
One of the most powerful ways a father bonds with his children is by playing with them. For young kids, it could be at a local playground as comedian Tim Hawkins recounts. Ahh, the memories last a lifetime. Just ask your teens and see what stories they can share!Families that play together, stay together. So take playing seriously and get dates circled on your calendar.Huddle up with your children tonight and say: Our next play date will be on ___ and we will ___. [Link]
An Adoption Movement? Agencies Say Interest on Rise
The adoption agency Bethany Christian Services says interest from couples in adopting is significantly ahead of what it was last year, a trend that is being seen elsewhere and, adoption leaders say, is an example of a growing adoption movement among Christians. [Link]
The Alien Among Us: A Conservative Christian Perspective
A moral and just immigration policy should reflect God's attitude towards immigrants. To paraphrase Kepler, man is at his best when he "thinks God's thoughts after him." [Link]
The Snare of Beauty — Flashpoints of Our Obsession with Attractiveness
Beauty, says philosopher Roger Scruton, "is never viewed with indifference." Those words ring true after this week's Newsweek article that purports to offer evidence that employers are more likely to hire attractive people. [Link]
Another Turn of the Screw: The Court and Religious Freedom
In a world where what's increasingly being required of Christians goes beyond "tolerance" to actual participation in activities contrary to God's law, we must be prepared to say "no." [Link]
Futile Clash Leaves Titanic Sense of Disappointment
The ads for Clash of the Titans suggest epic entertainment, superb special effects and the catch phrase of the year so far—"Release the Kraken!"—but there's nothing epic about Titans other than the sense of disappointment it leaves in viewers. [Link]
Newsboys' Rebirth is Creatively Challenged on Born Again
Newsboys have always shined a little brighter in the live setting, and Born Again has far too much studio spit and shine. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for an album of catchy pop songs. But something about this collection feels a little too contrived—even a little safe and boring. [Link]
I Am Who I Am
“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:27 NASB Waves slapping his waist and rain stinging his face, Jesus speaks to [the disciples] at once. “Courage! I am! Don’t be afraid!” Speaking from a burning bush to a knee-knocking Moses, God announced, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14 NASB). God gets into things! Red Seas, Judean wildernesses, weddings, funerals, and Galilean tempests. Look and you’ll find what everyone from Moses to Martha discovered. God is in the middle of our storms. [Link]
Is your wife a priority?
A man and a friend are playing golf one day when a long funeral procession goes by. The man stops in mid-swing, takes off his golf cap, closes his eyes, and bows his head in prayer. His friend says: "Wow! That is the most thoughtful and touching thing I have ever seen. You truly are a kind man." The man replies: "Yeah, well we were married 35 years." Not cool. Your wife needs to be a priority in your life. Statistically speaking, she will be the one caring for you as you are dying. No one else will ever love you or serve you more than a great wife. But if she feels she's second-fiddle, your marriage, if it lasts, will be nothing short of torture.So how does your wife know she's important to you? Two ways mainly. One is that you spend time with her. Two is that you communicate well with her. We have resources for both. Here's our 10 creative ways to spend more time with your wife. Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: How can I do a better job at letting you know how important you are to me? [Link]
Only Through the Cross
“We have freedom now, because Christ made us free.” Galatians 5:1 Some teach that we earn God’s favor by what we know (intellectualism). Others insist we are saved by what we do (moralism). Still others that salvation is determined by what we feel (emotionalism). However you package it, Paul contests, . . . salvation comes only through the cross—no additions, no alterations. [Link]
A potentially perfect answer to sibling rivalry
If you have more than one child, you have sibling rivalry. And it can literally make you lose your hair. But here is one potential solution. If you have at least one boy and one girl in your family, the girl always goes first. It's a great way to teach chivalry to your young men and avoid unnecessary fighting. Your girl is the first to get in the car, the first to get ice cream and the first in line. Of course, this does not work in every situation and may not work in your family makeup, but if you have an opportunity, let your "default" be giving your daughter privileges first. And if all your children are the same sex, the same philosophy may work with age. Or you could take turns and have a "kid of the week."Here are 4 helpful tips on curbing sibling rivalry. Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: What is one thing we can start doing this week to curb sibling rivalry? [Link]
Evangelicals and Science in Conversation — A One-Way Street?
If Professor Ecklund was trying to counter the "myth" that science is basically secular and antagonistic to theistic belief, she had better hope that people read her USA Today article and not her book. [Link]
Did Jonah Truly Repent?
It’s surprisingly easy to do the right things for the wrong reasons and still be blessed by God. [Link]
Life is Difficult: A Lesson from the Life of Job
Life is not just difficult, it's downright unfair. Welcome to Job's world… [Link]
Does God Lie?
Is God completely truthful if He ordains lies? [Link]
Recover from Financial Setbacks Well
If you're broke, don't despair. You may not have enough money in the bank, but you'll always have enough help from God to grow beyond the challenges you face. [Link]
Not Just for Profit
Not all businesspeople are greedy. Too many people shun the idea of making money as evil and believe good can only be done by non-profits. [Link]
Does God Care How Much We Give?
God didn’t just give a little for us; He gave His best. He gave Himself. John says that it is no different for us: True love requires sacrifice. [Link]
He Sings Over You
“The Lord God is like a sun and shield; the Lord gives us kindness and honor.” Psalm 84:11 Rejections are like speed bumps on the road. They come with the journey . . . You can’t keep people from rejecting you. But you can keep rejections from enraging you. How? By letting God’s acceptance compensate for their rejection. When others reject you, let God accept you. He is not frowning. He is not mad. He sings over you. Take a long drink from His limitless love. [Link]
Second Birth
“God is being patient with you . . . He wants all people to change their hearts and lives.” 2 Peter 3:9 In many ways your new birth is like your first: In your new birth God provides what you need; someone else feels the pain, and someone else does the work. And just as parents are patient with their newborn, so God is patient with you. But there is one difference. The first time you had no choice about being born; this time you do. The power is God’s. The effort is God’s. The pain is God’s. But the choice is yours. [Link]
No Depth of Action-Flick Flavor in Salt
The standard Angelina Jolie summer action flick is a generic retread of better work from waning genres, and Salt is no different. This Manchurian Candidate meets The Fugitive isn't so much a throwback to a Cold War thriller as it is a relic. [Link]
Rest in the Lord
Maybe our lives seem so out of control, in total disrepair or altogether burdensome because we haven't taken ample time to spend with the Lord. He calls us all to himself. His desire is for us to look to him when we are weary. And when we do, he promises us rest. [Link]
Flabbergasted by Family: Sperm Donor Kids are Struggling
It’s sad but not surprising—the children of sperm donors are having problems. A new study titled “My Daddy’s Name Is Donor" details their troubles. [Link]
Faith in the Military: Chaplains and Alliance Defense Fund
The impending repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy would be a serious threat to the careers of our nation's military chaplains—who may have to choose between obeying God or obeying man. [Link]
Tort Reform: A Libertarian's Misplaced Attack on the Constitution
It will be readily admitted by this attorney that yes, tort lawyers can, and sometimes do, lie. But what other alternatives do wronged people have except vigilantism? [Link]
Dad Steals the Show in Sister Story Ramona and Beezus
The latest adaptation from Walden Media of a beloved series of children's books is unobjectionable G-rated family entertainment. It's not very cinematic, nor is it memorably performed by its lead actresses, but a charming performance by John Corbett as the girls' father helps the film immensely. [Link]
Waterdeep Gives Folk-Rock Some Punch In the Middle of It
One thing Waterdeep's Don and Lori Chaffer have never lacked is creativity. Dousing their latest quirky folk-rock with extra punch, the dynamic duo turns a kaleidoscope of sounds into a shimmering tapestry of musical color. [Link]
In Feast or Fallow Gives Modern Voice to Hymns
Understanding the church's hunger for classic liturgy, singer/songwriter Sandra McCracken compiles her second hymns recording, delicately refashioning historic, sacred songs by replacing their antiquated musical contexts with a modern voice. [Link]
Love for the Least
“Anything you did even for the least of my people here, you did also for me.” Matthew 25:40 What is the sign of the saved? Their scholarship? Their willingness to go to foreign lands? Their ability to amass an audience and preach? Their skillful pens and hope-filled volumes? . . . No. The sign of the saved is their love for the least . . . No fanfare. No hoopla. No media coverage. Just good people doing good things. For when we do good things to others we do good things to God. [Link]
Temper your Temper
According to the National Center for Fathering, when a group of teenage girls were asked to anonymously identify why they would not confide in their fathers, one of the primary reasons was, "He would blow up." Other responses included: "His reaction." "I'm scared about his response." "He would start yelling at me." "I'm afraid of what he will do." "He will reject me." "He will freak out." In other words, daughters will not confide in their father if he has no self-control.Dads – our anger is one of the biggest wedges that come between us and our kids. We've got to get it under control for our children's sake.Check out our 10 Ways to temper your temper. Tony Dungy admits he had quite a temper as a young man. Find out how he controlled it.Huddle up with your kids tonight and say: I am sorry I lost my temper when ____. [Link]
Ramona and Beezus: A Good Story Can Go a Long Way
Children's literature continues to have a second act on the big screen these days. And if Walden Media's Micheal Flaherty has anything to say about it, it will definitely keep going—beginning with his latest film based on the best-loved book series, Ramona and Beezus. [Link]
What is Truth?
For milennia mankind has asked, "What is truth?" And, like Pilate, so many people have missed it (even though it was right in front of them) because they were asking the wrong question. The question is not what is truth, but rather who is truth. [Link]
A Believer for All Seasons
God intends for Christians to flourish in all seasons, regardless of our situations, and we will only do that as we renew our minds to think as He thinks, to live as He lives, and to love as He loves. [Link]
“Who, Me?” Overcoming the Fear of Inadequacy
Soon after our family began attending a particular church, the pastor's wife asked me to play piano for the worship team. I longed to say yes, but the fear of inadequacy held me captive. [Link]
From One Single Mother to Another: Sandra Aldrich Offers Encouragement
Can I do this alone? Will my children turn out alright? Where do I fit into the Church? Author Sandra Aldrich offers wisdom and reassurance regarding these and other concerns single mothers face. Read the Crosswalk interview. [Link]
Bring Out the Best in Your Husband
If your husband sees that you believe in him no matter what, he'll gain the confidence to believe in himself and change for the better. Here's how you can bring out the best in your husband by encouraging him. [Link]
Reject Mediocrity and Reach for Greatness
Our children need encouragement to reject mediocrity, especially the hidden mediocrity of spending significant time and outsized effort on things that don’t really matter. [Link]
Our Next Door Savior
“We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1 NASB Even in heaven, Christ remains our next door Savior . . . The King of the universe commands comets with a human tongue and directs celestial traffic with a human hand. Still human. Still divine. Living forever through his two natures . . . The hands that blessed the bread of the boy now bless the prayers of the millions . . . You know what that means? The greatest force in the cosmos understands and intercedes for you. [Link]
The biggest threat to your marriage
If you tracked the rate of debt in America over the past 50 years and compared it to the rate of divorce, they're virtually identical. In fact, according to Dave Ramsey, of the couples who divorce between the ages of 20 and 30, 80% cite finances as the primary reason. The way you and your spouse handle money has a direct impact on the health of your family. So if your finances aren't what they should be, where should you start? With Steve Martin of course. Then, you need to figure out how to get out of credit card debt and how much to save. Also, you can find out if Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University is being offered near you. Love your family enough to get your finances in order.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: What is the first step we can take to get our finances in order? [Link]
A Fresh-Squeezed Take on Body Image from the Author of Unsqueezed
What do you see when you look in the mirror? The outside or the inside? Imperfections, or purposed usefulness? The author of a new book helps remind us that we were given bodies for more than just looking our best. [Link]
The Blood of the Tea Party?
This is a multifaceted movement, but one thing seems certain: those taking pleasure assailing Tea Partiers may enliven the very movement they endeavor to destroy. [Link]
Sexual Obesity: What Are Your Kids Consuming Online?
Just as you wouldn’t feed your children deep-fried Twinkies for dinner, you shouldn’t give them unlimited and unfiltered access to the Internet. [Link]
Coming to a Doctor’s Office Near You? The New Abortion Strategy
It is at least encouraging to know that abortion, though an industry of death, is not a growth industry. At least for now. All that may change if a new movement meets with success. [Link]
Confronting Entitlement
We all go through hard times and need help in those moments. But there is a difference between going through a short term crisis in which we need help and just expecting others to pay our way through life so we can hang out with our friends. [Link]
Financing Your Career Change
Do you want to make a career change, but feel trapped by your financial situation? Many people are certain they can't afford to transition into a new job or career, but there are "do-able" strategies that can make it financially feasible. [Link]
Watch Out for Bogus Oil Spill Jobs
Bogus ads for oil spill clean-up jobs in the Gulf are appearing in newspapers, online, and in email inboxes. Red flags for scams apply here. [Link]
Adopted
“Serve only the Lord your God. Respect him, keep his commands, and obey him.” Deuteronomy 13:4 Christ’s kingdom is . . . a kingdom where membership is granted, not purchased. You are placed into God’s kingdom. You are “adopted.” And this occurs not when you do enough, but when you simply admit you can’t do enough. You don’t earn it; you simply accept it. As a result, you serve, not out of arrogance or fear, but out of gratitude. [Link]
Will your kids abuse prescription drugs?
Raising teenagers is hard, especially knowing that one in five have tried prescription painkillers. Vicodin and OxyContin are examples that adolescents use to get high, with the pill-popping members of "Generation Rx" often raiding their parents' medicine cabinets, (according to a study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.) "For the first time, our national study finds that today's teens are more likely to have abused a prescription painkiller to get high than they are to have experimented with a variety of illegal drugs," said Partnership Chairman Roy Bostock.So how can you help avoid this tragedy? First, instruct your kids that even though some drugs are legal, if not taken in the right fashion, they're just as dangerous as cocaine or heroin. Second, don't leave bottles of prescription drugs strewn around your bathroom. Get rid of outdated pills. Third, talk to your kids about the healthy ways to relieve stress (exercise, prayer, sleep etc.) and love them like crazy. Loving parents are the anti-drug.Take a look at the 10 signs of prescription drug abuse by children.Huddle up with your teen tonight and say: Do you know of anyone who has abused prescription drugs? Do you think that's as bad as illegal drugs? Why or why not? [Link]
Pray to God… and Row to Shore
We've all been in a place where we want to trust God to change a situation, whether it is a troubled marriage, a difficult job, an addicted spouse, or perhaps a habit that destroys our self-worth. But “just praying” is often the wrong approach. [Link]
Carrying the Cross of a Difficult Pastorate
Some pastorates are more difficult than others. Yours may be one of them. But, like Charles Simeon, be willing to carry the cross for Christ's sake. [Link]
Hard to Believe? Biblical Authority and Evangelical Feminism
Anne Eggebroten said, "Hard to believe, but some churches are still teaching about male headship." Hard to believe? It can hardly be surprising to anyone with the slightest attachment to evangelical Christianity. [Link]
Revival: What it is and why we need it
Revival is a seemingly old-fashioned word that conjures up numerous definitions, some of which have little to do with authentic revival, or “times of refreshing” sent from the Lord as described in Scripture. There have been three Great Awakenings in this nation’s history that profoundly affected the Church and surrounding culture, so much so that history could not ignore these spontaneous movements of God and their dramatic effects. Might we see another? [Link]
Moral Lessons Found Lacking in Well-Acted Runaways
If The Runaways is nothing we haven't seen before in terms of its story arc, it's also notable for strong performances from Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning and Michael Shannon. However, the debauchery and hedonism on display make the film difficult to watch. [Link]
Cop Out Wears Its Juvenile Humor Like a Badge of Honor
In what's supposed to be a cheeky homage to '80s crime-fighting fare like Beverly Hills Cop, Lethal Weapon and of course, Die Hard, Cop Out is nothing more than a 107-minute string of bad jokes without the benefit of a punch line. [Link]
The Losers Lacks Passion and a Point
Written by Peter Berg and James Vanderbilt and based on a series of comic books, The Losers wants to pay homage to its comic roots but never gives us a reason to care about its characters or to believe this story needed a big-screen adaptation. [Link]
Dangerous Liberty
“Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God.” 1 Peter 1:17, The Message Each life is . . . a story to be written. The Author starts each life story, but each life will write his or her own ending. What a dangerous liberty. How much safer it would have been to finish the story for each Adam. To script every opinion. It would have been simpler. It would have been safer. But it would not have been love. Love is only love if chosen. [Link]
Enjoying the simple things
Author Dan Millman says, "The key to happiness isn't in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less." How true! Enjoying the simple things and teaching your kids to do the same enlarges the soul and uncorks the wellspring of joy. Some examples are: Taking in a sunset as a family Going on a picnic this weekend Fishing Bike riding Looking at leaves under a microscope Laying out in the backyard and identifying the constellations The possibilities are endless. Commit to do one simple and fun thing with your kids for the next four weekends… and enjoy! Here are some great, inexpensive family fun ideas that you can try this summer. Huddle up with your children tonight and say: This weekend we will ____ as a family! [Link]
An Inviting God
“Jesus said, ‘Come.’” Matthew 14:29 You can’t read anything about God without finding him issuing invitations. He invited Eve to marry Adam, the animals to enter the ark, David to be king, Israel to leave bondage, Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem. God is an inviting God. He invited Mary to birth his son, the disciples to fish for men, the adulterous woman to start over, and Thomas to touch his wounds. God is the King who prepares the palace, sets the table, and invites his subjects to come in. [Link]
Want a great conversation with your kids?
Conversation builds relationships. It opens the door to understanding about what your child is thinking and why. Meaningful conversations don't usually happen without prompting. Our Conversation Starters will make family dinners, drive time in the car, or bedtime special for your family. This tool will help your family's relationships, improve your family time and increase your family's communication. Enjoy and please forward to a friend as well.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: If there is one thing you would change about the world, what would it be? [Link]
How Your Small Rural Church Can Do Something Big
Churches in rural areas tend to have few people attending and little money. But your church's small size doesn't have to limit its potential to impact the world in big ways. [Link]
A Wonderful Education
The first way to restore beauty and wonder to education is to put skepticism in its place. Skepticism, like gay, is a word that used to mean one thing and now means something else entirely… [Link]
A Long Catalog of Injustice: Morocco and Christians
"The human face of a long catalogue of socio-economic ills" are the many thousands of orphaned and abandoned children living throughout your country. So what do you about it? If you are Morocco, you declare war on those seeking to help them. [Link]
Reflections on the Oil Spill: Restoring the Created Order
Many people are even taking out their frustrations on those who are responding . . . who are trying to contain and clean up the mess. [Link]
How To Connect With Your Teen
Are you connecting with your teenager or growing farther apart every day? Here are three things you can do to communicate and connect on a deeper level. [Link]
Playing With Your Children Can Be More Than Fun and Games
As Christian parents, it's easy to become overly serious given the gravity of our faith. But incorporating playfulness into your weekly routine opens up opportunities to pass on your Christian values, bond as a family, and guide your kids as they mature. [Link]
Wedding Thoughts
Even though his exact words are lost somewhere in the deep recesses of my memory, I remember thinking at the time that it was the most meaningful message I had ever heard on love or marriage. [Link]
Divinely Human
“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.” 2 Timothy 2:8, NIV In a letter written within earshot of the sharpening of the blade that would sever his head, Paul urged Timothy to “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David . . .” Remember the dead called from the grave with a Galilean accent. Remember the eyes of God that wept human tears. And, most of all, remember this descendant of David who beat the hell out of death. [Link]
God Is Never Wrong
“The Lord our God is right in everything he does.” Daniel 9:14 God is never wrong. He has never rendered a wrong decision, experienced the wrong attitude, taken the wrong path, said the wrong thing, or acted the wrong way. He is never too late or too early, too loud or too soft, too fast or too slow. He has always been always will be right. He is righteous. [Link]
Creepy Comedy, Heartfelt Emotion Don't Fully Mix in Cyrus
Cyrus is a peculiar mixed bag. To say it's a complete failure would be unfairly reductive, though it doesn't fully succeed either. There's something very interesting going on here that can't be denied, yet neither can the sense that it fails to form into a complete whole. [Link]
The Bridge of Friendship
“Unfriendly people are selfish.” Proverbs 18:1 We’re in a fast-moving, fast-paced society. We need to build bridges between our hearts and those of people who need a friend—and allow Jesus to cross that bridge of friendship and walk into their lives . . . Whether or not you are friendly could determine whether or not someone hears about Jesus. [Link]
Tempered Reason: How the Oil Disaster Will Teach Us Humility
Now that the smoke has cleared and the oil is spreading, we should finally recognize not only our great powers, but also our significant limitations. [Link]
Lie, Cheat & Steal. Or, Just Make One Decision
When we consciously decide who we want to be and what we want our lives to reflect, then all other choices become much easier to make. Tempted to cheat on a test, a spouse or a business deal? Is that who you've decided to be? [Link]
Christopher Hitchens and Jesus
You can't separate the words of Jesus from the identity of Jesus. [Link]
The Power of Worship
It is only as we ascend to the throne room in worship that we can descend back into the harvest field here on earth, praying and warring for victory in every area of life. [Link]
Not Quite Dreamy, Inception Gets an 'A' for Effort
Inception, the new film from director Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Memento) is complex, and its story about exploiting the dreams of others has rewards for those who can follow its story across multiple levels. But ultimately, it doesn't quite coalesce. [Link]
There's Nothing Remotely Spellbinding About The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Even with Jerry Bruckheimer's name attached to the project, there's nothing remotely spellbinding about The Sorcerer's Apprentice. It's a classic case of a clunky, horribly clichéd story further destroyed by a series of outlandish stunts and less-than-superb CGI trickery. [Link]
The Bridge of Frienship
“Unfriendly people are selfish.” Proverbs 18:1 We’re in a fast-moving, fast-paced society. We need to build bridges between our hearts and those of people who need a friend—and allow Jesus to cross that bridge of friendship and walk into their lives . . . Whether or not you are friendly could determine whether or not someone hears about Jesus. [Link]
If you could do one thing differently
If you could do one thing in your life differently, what would it be? You can't get that decision back, but you can help your children avoid something similar. Consider sitting them down and talking about it. Sharing your failures with your children is one of the best things you can do to not only teach them, but exponentially increase family communication and their admiration of you. It takes a big man to admit his mistakes.Tony Dungy shares if he could do one thing differently in his life, it would be…Huddle up with your children this month and say: If there was one thing in my life I would do differently, it would be ____. I say that because ____. How about you? [Link]
Seeds of Summer
A former rodeo queen abandons her dreams in order to care for her deceased father's ranch and her two half-siblings, only to realize with the help of a young new pastor that God can turn even the most dire circumstances into seeds of hope. Read an excerpt from Seeds of Summer. [Link]
Are All Religions the Same? Pressing beyond 'Niceness'
Most great religions are mostly right, but "mostly" is not good enough. Christianity proves to be the best explanation for the world as it is: both the metaphysical and the physical. [Link]
Libertarianism Fails against Illegal Immigration
John Stossel's libertarian viewpoint lets him make incredibly incisive conclusions in his reporting. But when it comes to Arizona's policy on illegal immigration, a libertarian approach just isn't safe. [Link]
Black Friday at the Breakfast Table: DOMA on the Ropes
Judge Joseph Tauro’s dismissal of DOMA was only possible because of the effort to change cultural attitudes about homosexuality, as the movie "The Kids Are All Right" shows. [Link]
Survey: Living on Less, Christians Still Giving, Avoiding Debt
Even though three out of four families say their income has stayed the same or gone down, 98 percent said they still support their church regularly, according to the latest View from the Pew survey. [Link]
Is Your Online Image Helping or Hurting Your Job Search?
If a prospective employer researches your name online, what will come up? If you are a job seeker, your online image can make or break your job search. [Link]
Are Mortgage-Savings Programs a Good Idea?
My family recently moved and with our new mortgage came some new mortgage product offerings. One such offering is a mortgage-savings program. As I was reading over the letter, an unpeaceful, uneasy feeling started to creep up. Here are some highlights from my letter. [Link]
Immersed in Grace
“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad.” Psalm 126:3 NKJV You have not been sprinkled with forgiveness. You have not been spattered with grace. You have not been dusted with kindness. You have been immersed in it. You are submerged in mercy. You are a minnow in the ocean of God’s mercy. Let it change you! [Link]
Use Your Body the Way God Designed It
Our culture is constantly bombarding women with messages that tell them their appearance is what matters most. It's freeing to look beyond our culture's shallow view of your body and start using your body the way God designed it. Here's how. [Link]
10 things to do on a date with your daughter
If you want to do something really special for your daughter, take her on a date! It will be a great way to show her you love her and give her an idea of how she should be treated once those dreaded teenage boys start showing up at your door. Here are 10 things to do on a date with your daughter. Additionally, you may want to have a "monthly date" your wife, maybe her birth date or your anniversary date, when she can look forward to some one-on-one time with you.Huddle up with your daughter tonight and ask her: When can we go out on a date? [Link]
Thoughtless Faith
Do you sometimes struggle to engage with unbelievers? Do you feel ill-equipped to dialogue with those who reject faith in Jesus Christ? There is an important book that offers an excellent example of one such engagement, entitled Is Belief in God Good, Bad or Irrelevant. Coauthored by Preston Jones, assistant professor of history at John Brown University and a Christian, and Greg Graffin, an atheist punk rocker, the book chronicles the discussions between these two disparate personalities as they wrestle with life’s most challenging questions from two opposing worldviews. [Link]
The Church: A Family, a Fellowship, and the Body of Jesus Christ
Can you define what a Christian is without mentioning the church? If you can, your definition just might not line up with the Bible’s. [Link]
Send Your Small Group on a Mission
Your small group can be a great place for you and other group members to enjoy friendships with each other while studying the Bible to learn more about God. But that's not all it can be… [Link]
Honoring My Wife… and Stressed Out
A reader asks 48Days.com founder, Dan Miller, if he should stick with the job that makes him miserable at his wife's request. [Link]
Shedding Some Light on Twilight
If Bella were my daughter, several alarm bells would be going off in my head about her relationship with Edward. I would not approve. [Link]
Perfectionism: A Marriage Killer
The perfectionist often expects more from others than they expect from themselves. At the very least perfectionists see faults in another, amplifies them, while minimizing their own weaknesses. This combination is lethal to a marriage. [Link]
No Room for Almost
“We don’t live following our sinful selves, but we live following the Spirit.” Romans 8:4 ALMOST. How many times do these six letters find their way into despairing epitaphs? “She almost chose not to leave him.” “He almost became a Christian.” Jesus . . . demands absolute obedience. He never has room for “almost” in his vocabulary. You are either with him or against him . . . With the Master, “almost” is just as good as “never.” [Link]
What do your kids think about marriage?
Here are some classic responses: How do you decide whom to marry? You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. — Alan, age 10How can a stranger tell if two people are married? You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids. — Derrick, age 8What do you think your mom and dad have in common? Both don't want any more kids. — Lori, age 8When is it okay to kiss someone? When they're rich. — Pam, age 7How would you make a marriage work? Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck. — Ricky, age 10So what do your kids think about your marriage? If you think you need to do a better job portraying what a marriage should be, the first step is to renew the romance. Start with a romantic getaway. Have you ever planned a trip for your wife? If not, or if you want to do another trip, here are 10 tips for a romantic getaway. Also, for more great kid quotes, here's a classic video clip from Kids Say the Darndest Things.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: On a scale of 1 to 10, rate your mother's and my marriage. Why do you say that? [Link]
God in Three Persons: A Doctrine We Barely Understand
All Christians believe the doctrine of the Trinity. If you do not believe this—that is, if you have come to a settled conclusion that the doctrine of the Trinity is not true—you are not a Christian at all. You are in fact a heretic. [Link]
For Christian Nice Girls: Real Goodness
Merely avoiding bad things doesn't make women good. [Link]
Morocco: Putting Christians in the Crosshairs
For years the northwestern African country of Morocco was considered a moderate nation regarding human rights and religious freedom for Christians. Not anymore. [Link]
PC(USA) Takes Half Step with Gays, Denounce Caterpillar
In a whirlwind of activity, the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted to lift a ban on partnered gay clergy, but turned down a bid to expand its definition of marriage to include same-sex couples. [Link]
Whose War Is It? The Wrong Questions on Afghanistan
Here is the debate we ought to be having: Is what we are doing in Afghanistan just? For this war to be just, under the Augustinian doctrine, our cause and intent must be just. [Link]
Mutiny Should be Declared on the Joyless Bounty Hunter
These days, getting the girl looks a little different with Gerard Butler on the scene. Officially kicking Mr. Sensitive to the curb, his character's idea of a fun night involves throwing his ex in the trunk and carting her off to jail for a cool 20k in The Bounty Hunter. [Link]
Faith Evolves in Rachel Held Evans' Monkey Town
Evolving in Monkey Town follows the faith journey of author Rachel Held Evans, who, as the daughter of a Bryan College professor, was raised on conservative Christian doctrine while growing up in Dayton, Tennessee, the heart of evangelicalism. [Link]
What Stephen King Taught Me About Repentance
I’m finishing up writing a book on temptation right now, and have been thinking a lot about how hard it is for me to see my own temptations, much less my outright sins. What does Stephen King have to do with this? Well… [Link]
Make your daughter enormously gorgeous
To be Enormously Gorgeous…Sarah says you need to have beautiful long curly hair like she has. I don't.To be Enormously Gorgeous…Justin says you must have perfectly straight white teeth like he has. I don't.To be Enormously Gorgeous…Jessica says you can't have any of those little brown dots on your face called freckles. I do.To be Enormously Gorgeous…Mark says you have to be the smartest kid in the seventh grade class. I'm not.To be Enormously Gorgeous…Stephen says you have to be able to tell the funniest jokes in the school. I don't.To be Enormously Gorgeous…Lauren says you need to live in the nicest neighborhood in town and in the prettiest house. I don't.To be Enormously Gorgeous…Matthew says you can only wear the coolest clothes and the most popular shoes. I don't.To be Enormously Gorgeous…Samantha says you need to come from a perfect family. I don't.But every night at bedtime my dad gives me a big hug and says, "You are Enormously Gorgeous, and I love you."My dad must know something my friends don't. By Carla O'Brien Kids soak up lavish encouragement. Here are other proven ways to communicate. And hear from a young lady about things her father said to her growing up to make her feel special. Huddle up with your daughter tonight and say: "You are enormously gorgeous because …" [Link]
The Rule of the Kingdom
“We must not become tired of doing good.” Galatians 6:9 When we are mistreated, our animalistic response is to go on the hunt. Instinctively, we double up our fists. Getting even is only natural. Which incidentally, is precisely the problem. Revenge is natural, not spiritual. Getting even is the rule of the jungle. Giving grace is the rule of the kingdom . . . To forgive someone is to admit our limitations. We’ve been given only one piece of life’s jigsaw puzzle. Only God has the cover of the box. [Link]
Can faith make a difference in my life?
Brian Welch, the former guitarist of the heavy metal, rock group Korn, is a walking testimony to the power of grace by faith in transforming a life. Watch his incredible story and be sure to share with your family that no matter what happens in life, no matter how far you fall, God can pick up the pieces. It's never too late for faith.Huddle up and ask your children: Do you want to go to church this Sunday? [Link]
Why Are Parents So Unhappy? And Who Would Settle for Happiness?
Christians must see children as gifts from God, not as projects, understanding family life as a crucible for holiness, not an experiment in happiness. [Link]
Did Dinosaurs Coexist with Humans? An Interview with Darek Isaacs
Could it be that stories about dragons – which hail from every continent on earth – are less mythical and have more of a factual basis that binds human-and-dinosaur existence together? We asked the author of Dragons or Dinosaurs: Creation or Evolution. [Link]
The Supremacy Of Christ
The Apostle Paul wrote to show the superiority of Christ over all–over all human philosophies, traditions, personalities, and accomplishments. He wrote to remind Christians of what they already possess in Christ. He wants us to understand that everything we need, in Christ, we have—everything! [Link]
Finish the Race
I've been around long enough to know some men and women whose lives were totally sold out to God but who've lost their longing for all He is. The fear of following in their footsteps haunts me. [Link]
A Graduate's Critical Decision Point
Recently, college seniors graduated, started new jobs, moved into new apartments and are facing a world of new financial obligations. To those who are in debt up to their eyeballs, as well as those who've come through unscathed, I offer this unsolicited advice. [Link]
Paul's Advice to the Rich
With the Holy Spirit as his inspiration, Paul laid out an entire doctrine of wealth management in Timothy 6:17-19. But his words do not just apply to millionaires. The rich people to whom Paul is speaking includes most Americans today. So let's take a closer look… [Link]
Three Luxuries Money Can't Buy
I'll take being debt-free any day over a shiny new car. I'll opt for time with the people I love over finding a way to cough up hundreds of dollars for a leather handbag. [Link]
He Gave His Blood
“It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” Hebrews 10:4 NIV Sacrifices could offer temporary solutions, but only God could offer the eternal one. So he did. Beneath the rubble of a fallen world, he pierced his hands. In the wreckage of a collapsed humanity, he ripped open his side . . . He gave his blood. It was all he had. [Link]
A New Heart
“You were taught to be made new in your hearts, to become a new person.” Ephesians 4:23 What if, for one day and one night, Jesus lives your life with his heart? Your heart gets the day off, and your life is led by the heart of the Christ. His priorities govern your actions. His passions drive your decisions. His love directs your behavior . . . Would people notice a change? Would you still do what you had planned to do for the next twenty-four hours? [Link]
Nightlights Marks Progression for Jimmy Needham
The growth curve climbed exactly as imagined. For those who've caught the first two Jimmy Needham releases—2006's Speak and 2008's Not Without Love—the Houston native's progression continues at the same impressive rate as before on Nightlights. [Link]
Bible Belt Megachurches on a Building Boom
Megachurches here in the heart of the Bible Belt are thriving enough to support a major building boom despite a sluggish economy. [Link]
Could You Be in Bondage to an Addiction?
Studies show that one in five women suffers from an eating disorder or disordered eating. Could you be one of them? Read Kelly’s story to find out. [Link]
Is Freedom of Religion Being Redefined?
I believe the administration is seeking to redefine the meaning of religious freedom, shrinking it to mean nothing more than the right to worship privately. [Link]
Bible Belt Megachurches on a Building Boom
Megachurches here in the heart of the Bible Belt are thriving enough to support a major building boom despite a sluggish economy. [Link]
Radio Days: Lessons Learned Behind the Microphone
Last Friday marked the final live broadcast of The Albert Mohler Program. As I brought the program to an end, I wanted to share some lessons I learned in the process. [Link]
Despicable Me Doesn’t Distinguish Itself From Better Alternatives
Despicable Me bears some resemblance to Pixar's The Incredibles and has some of the irreverence of the Shrek series, feels more like a missed opportunity than a home run. [Link]
Hawkology a Brilliant Choice for Newcomers
This triple disc set doesn't include any new material, but it bundles together the group's first three projects—Letters to the President, Smile It's the End of the World and Hawk Nelson … Is My Friend—at a budget price. [Link]
Only Life
“Be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:10 Can you imagine a life with no death, only life? If you can, you can imagine heaven. For citizens of heaven wear the crown of life . . . We are not made of steel, we are made of dust. And this life is not crowned with life, it is crowned with death. The next life, however, is different. [Link]
Avoid sleepover dangers
Probably some of the best memories you have growing up is when you slept over at a buddy's house. At the same time, there were probably a lot of things you did over there of which your parents disapproved. And in today's culture where kids can be exposed to so much garbage instantly, it's wise to have a sleepover strategy. How old should your kids be when they sleep over at a friend's house? How well should you know the parents? Should there be any other criteria? Read these 4 sleepover strategies and criteria by age, and then come up with your own game plan.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: "Are you concerned about our children sleeping over at a friend's house?" [Link]
Screwtape Letters Given Life Off-Broadway
The spiritual-warfare-themed plot of this production takes theater-goers into the depths of hell; specifically, the home-office of a senior demon named Screwtape. Onlookers are granted access to his private chambers to observe him as he dictates a series of letters to his nephew, a novice tempter. [Link]
Connecting Church and Family, Part 3
Does God's Word mandate the family-integrated church model? How should churches strengthen families? Authors Andreas Köstenberger and David W. Jones weigh in on this delicate issue facing church leaders today (Part 3). [Link]
The Pressures of Executive Marriages
Spouses in executive marriages tell me there is something substantially different about their marriage. When comparing the pressures of their marriage with those of their friends' busy lives, there are additional stresses worth considering. [Link]
Father to Son: One Father's Journey from Adopting to Adopted
Ted Kluck and his wife, Kristen, navigated through foreign customs and culture shock, the painful reality of infertility, and even a few near-death experiences to bring Tristan home with them. Yet in all of this, God's faithfulness marks every turn, threading the events together with the grace of One who risked everything to adopt His church. [Link]
Planning a Wonderful, Enjoyable, Affordable Wedding
Even with the recent recession prompting couples (and their families) to cut back, weddings in the U.S. currently have an average sticker price of $19,581. Should you – must you – pay this much? [Link]
God’s Salvation
“It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us in sending his Son to be the way to take away our sins.” I John 4:10 Please note: salvation is God-given, God-driven, God-empowered, and God-originated. The gift is not from man to God. It is from God to man . . . Grace is created by God and given to man. [Link]
Should you be your children's coach?
Thomas, a Play of the Day subscriber, asked Tony Dungy the following questions related to coaching your children on a sports team:″ Should a dad coach his children and, if so, what are some tips?″ Do we require our kids to practice the sport like we do their homework?″ Can we give advice to our children on how to improve, or is that too discouraging?Thanks Thomas. Here is Tony's response.Huddle up and ask your children tonight: "Would you like me to be your coach in the future? Why or why not?" [Link]
No Truces on Abortion: Social and Economic Issues Must Go Together
Indiana's pro-life Republican governor recently said it's time to call a "truce" on social issues so that we can focus on getting the country's disastrous financial house in order. Well… [Link]
Healing for a Backslider: Isaiah 57:14-21
An outline of the pentagon of precious truth related to the living and true God: [Link]
Pastor: When Something Doesn't Sound Right
The pastor is dealing with two precious commodities when he stands in the pulpit: the precious Word of God and the fine china of people's lives. [Link]
Connecting Church and Family, Part 3
Does God's Word mandate the family-integrated church model? How should churches strengthen families? Authors Andreas Köstenberger and David W. Jones weigh in on this delicate issue facing church leaders today (Part 3). [Link]
Small Choices, Big Ripples
God's man follows the voice of the Holy Spirit as instinctually as animals trust their "fight-or-flight" mechanism. [Link]
Making All Things New
I've noticed that Christians can tend to think of ultimate redemption as being redemption from the body, not of the body; redemption from the world, not of the world; redemption from the material, not of the material. This, however, goes against what the Bible clearly teaches about redemption. [Link]
Getting the Peace to Fit
If you want to know what to expect from God in the future, study the "I wills" of Jesus… [Link]
What are We Singing: Made Me Glad
Even resting in God and singing for joy is only by our sheer will to yield to the work and power of the Holy Spirit. [Link]
Small Choices, Big Ripples
God's man follows the voice of the Holy Spirit as instinctually as animals trust their "fight-or-flight" mechanism. [Link]
Mythology Gets a Fun, Modern Spin in Percy Jackson & the Olympians
At first blush, it's probably tempting to simply dismiss Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief as a poor man's Harry Potter. But the story, which is based on the first of author Rick Riordan's best-selling books for kids, definitely has its own action-adventure thing going on. [Link]
Flimsy Finale, Depraved Behavior Doom Brooklyn's Finest
Brooklyn's Finest is tough going. Its solid performances (Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes) and hints of redemption make it better than many bad-cop dramas. But it spends too long wallowing in depraved behavior to qualify as recommended viewing. [Link]
Carlos Whittaker Brings Ragamuffin Soul to the Worship Arena
Lyrically channeling his spiritual thoughtfulness into a modern musical mix, singer/songwriter Carlos Whittaker's debut package, Ragamuffin Soul, is a worthy competitor for his worship contemporaries. [Link]
Our Forever House
“I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6, NKJV Where will you live forever? In the house of the Lord. If his house is your “forever house,” what does that make this earthly house? You got it! Short term housing. This is not our home. This explains the homesickness we feel . . . Deep down you know you are not home yet. So be careful not to act like you are. [Link]
An easy way to make her feel special
The next time you're alone with the kids, have them sit down at a table and write a note of thanks to Mom. Have them list twenty things about Mom they're grateful for and then put the letters on your refrigerator. Your wife will be blown away and it will be one of the best things you do for her all year.Hear from Tony Dungy on how he likes to let his wife know she is appreciated. And then learn the 10 ways to score big points around the house. Huddle up with your wife tonight and say: "I am grateful for you because ____." [Link]
Singles in the Church: Views from the Pulpit
If the whole point of going to church is to avoid "forsaking the assembling of ourselves together," should your church leadership develop programming to augment that which divides us? Maybe you're not thrilled with the singles ministry at your church, but where does demographic-specific ministry need to end so community can begin? [Link]
Churches Torn on Allowing Child Molesters in Pews
"All are welcome" is a common phrase on many a church sign and website. But what happens when a convicted sex offender takes those words literally? [Link]
Morocco Continues to Purge Nation of Foreign Christians
Moroccan authorities expelled eight more foreign Christians from the country the weekend of June 26, bringing the total of deported Christians since March to 128. [Link]
The Stalled Progress of Teen Pregnancy
In just six years, the percentage of kids who agreed with the statement "It is OK for an unmarried female to have a child" jumped from 50 to 64 percent. [Link]
When Nightmares Come True: Facing Miscarriage and Keeping Your Faith
A dozen reminders of my loss assaulted me – a congratulations card on my desk, a baby name book on the coffee table, a bag of maternity clothes waiting to be taken to our bedroom. Could I trust Him enough to go through this nightmare without anger and accusations? [Link]
What to do When your Older Child Breaks your Heart
It’s hard for parents of young children to imagine the heartbreak that one of those children could cause them fifteen or twenty years down the road. The Bible does say “train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it . . . [Link]
Loving “Those People”: Keeping Your Marriage Strong in a Blended Family
Stepping up to the task of being a dad and stepdad, plus becoming a loving husband all at the same time, really calls upon you to intercede for your new and existing extended family. Here are some ways to successfully blend your families. [Link]
You Have Won!
“This is the victory that conquers the world—our faith.” 1 John 5:4 What is unique about the kingdom of God is that you are assured of victory. You have won! If you have no faith in the future, then you have no power in the present. If you have no faith in the life beyond this life, then your present life is going to be powerless. But if you believe in the future and are assured of victory, then there should be a dance in your step and a smile on your face. [Link]
An ill father. A life-or-death decision.
Here is a very typical look at an end-of-life decision faced by a daughter. If your parents do not have one already, please ask them to create a living will. After they have done so, use these essential, complimentary documents courtesy of financial expert Dave Ramsey to tighten up as best you can their wishes after they pass.In fact, you should have all your immediate family complete Ramsey's paperwork. A busy, emotionally-charged hospital room is not the time to make such serious decisions. Have a plan in place. For more on wills here.Huddle up and ask your parents tonight: Is there a time we can get together so I can find out your final wishes? [Link]
An Imperfect Family
“Jesus had to be made like his brothers . . . so he could be their merciful and faithful high priest.” Hebrews 2:17 Jesus displays the bad apples of his family tree in the first chapter of the New Testament . . . Rahab was a Jericho harlot . . . David had a personality as irregular as a Picasso painting—one day writing Psalms, another day seducing his captain’s wife. But did Jesus erase his name from the list? Not at all . . . If your family tree has bruised fruit, then Jesus wants you to know, “I’ve been there.” [Link]
Drug Abuse Starting Earlier Than Ever
It used to be that older teens were the most susceptible to drug experimentation, but kids today are starting earlier than ever. In fact, 10- to 14-year-olds are now the most likely to begin using one intoxicating substance or another. [Link]
Remember the Sabbath?
Here's more Old Testament law that's more than just a good idea for today's Christian family! [Link]
The Duty of Leaders: Getting our Priorities Straight in the Church
Joshua is the model leader for those who accept a calling in the household of faith. [Link]
Connecting Church and Family, Part 2
How does God intend to relate marriage and family to the church? How can churches today strengthen families? Authors Andreas Köstenberger and David W. Jones weigh in on this delicate issue facing church leaders today (Part 2). [Link]
Finance Q&A: Are Private Colleges Worth the Cost?
Our daughter's two college choices are private schools. We're thinking about telling her that she'll need to attend a public university, since it will be more affordable for us. Is this a good idea? [Link]
The Easy Way to Teach Teens About Money
If you trust your teens with some amount of money and then allow them to make their own independent financial decisions on a level commensurate with their age and ability, you will address the five key motivators that influence kids. [Link]
How to Fulfill Your Career Potential
What are you capable of achieving in your life and career? This is an important question that often goes unasked. [Link]
An Imperfect Family
“Jesus had to be made like his brothers . . . so he could be their merciful and faithful high priest.” Hebrews 2:17 Jesus displays the bad apples of his family tree in the first chapter of the New Testament . . . Rahab was a Jericho harlot . . . David had a personality as irregular as a Picasso painting—one day writing Psalms, another day seducing his captain’s wife. But did Jesus erase his name from the list? Not at all . . . If your family tree has bruised fruit, then Jesus wants you to know, “I’ve been there.” [Link]
A night your parents won't forget
Want to do something special for your parents? Then invite them over and have your kids serve them. That's right – serve them. Have your kids start off by creating a menu, setting the table and offering Grandma and Grandpa a choice of drinks, salads and desserts in addition to the main course. Then your kids bring the food out to the table and clean up afterwards. You get the drift. The grandparents will love it and talk about it for years. And your kids will learn a valuable lesson in service. Oh, and give your children a surprise tip at the end of the night just to thank them for being good sports.Tony Dungy shares some special memories he has of his grandfathers.Huddle up and ask your children tonight: What menu would you like to offer to Grandma and Grandpa? [Link]
What Makes America Different?
Five decades after America gained independence, French political analyst Alexis de Tocqueville remarked on its exceptional character… [Link]
John Hancock: A Neglected American Hero
As we celebrate our nation’s independence, let us give Hancock the acclaim he so richly deserves. [Link]
God Bless America
Let us always be aware of the growing pains of America as we give thanks for the happy times of triumph. [Link]
Redefining the First Freedom: More than Worship
Should the government succeed in redefining freedom of religion as "freedom of worship," how much longer can I practice my faith in public? [Link]
Get Your Eye Off Yourself
“Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4, NASB What’s the cure for selfishness? Get your self out of your eye by getting your eye off yourself. Quit staring at that little self and focus on your great Savior . . . Focus on the encouragement in Christ, the consolation of Christ, the love of Christ, the fellowship of the Spirit, the affection and compassion of heaven. [Link]
No Strings Attached
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NIV When we love with expectations, we say, “I love you. But I’ll love you more if . . .” Christ’s love had none of this. No strings, no expectations, no hidden agendas, no secrets. His love for us was, and is, up front and clear. “I love you,” he says. “Even if you let me down. I love you in spite of your failures.” [Link]
National Hope Through Personal Holiness
When the debate over the wording of the United States Constitution was over and the final document agreed to, Benjamin Franklin met with his fellow citizens on the steps of Constitution Hall and said, “We have given you a republic if you can keep it." How well are we keeping our republic? [Link]
When Feminism Kills — Abortion As 'The Lesser Evil’
Antonia Senior acknowledges that an unborn child is a human life. But she then proceeds to assert that when necessary, women must be willing to kill for the feminist cause even as they are willing to die for it. [Link]
Supreme Court Rules against Christian Legal Group
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that a Christian student group must accept gays and non-Christians as members if it wants to be officially recognized by a public university. [Link]
Airbender Ends Hopes for Shyamalan Resurgence
Director M. Night Shyamalan could use a hit, but his latest film, The Last Airbender, based on a Nickelodeon cartoon, is likely to cement his reputation as a filmmaker who peaked early and then crashed and burned. [Link]
Action and Suspense Come Together in Broken's Dark Tale
In Broken, Travis Thrasher spins a dark tale using the present tense. This unusual, and difficult, technique was a smart move—the pace quickens, the action intensifies, the emotions are immediate. Everything happens now. The suspense grows, indeed it starts to reverberate, as the reader moves through the short chapters. [Link]
Revelation Songs Offers More Compelling Worship
Revelation Songs is a star-studded project. And though that summary may cause its vertical focus to be discounted, be not mistaken—each professional performance is only a gateway into compelling worship of the One true celebrity. [Link]
Take Your Heart to the Cross
“He willingly gave his life . . . He carried away the sins of many people.” Isaiah 53:13 You can’t go to the cross with just your head and not your heart. It doesn’t work that way. Calvary is not a mental trip. It’s not an intellectual exercise . . . It’s a heart-splitting hour of emotion . . . That’s God on that cross. It’s us who put him there. [Link]
The Source of Liberty: Dependence upon God
America's founding document declared independence from Great Britain; but, with equal fervor, dependence upon God. [Link]
How much does your family know about Independence Day?
As this Jay Leno interview shows, there are many people who do not know the history of one of our most important national holidays – the Fourth of July. Don't let your family be this ignorant! Take our Independence Day quiz and be sure to enjoy this weekend.Huddle up with your kids tonight and give them the 4th of July quiz. [Link]
The Case Against Marriage, Courtesy of Newsweek
The Newsweek article represents what may be the most direct journalistic attack on marriage in our times, presenting arguments that had to date been made largely outside of mainstream circles [Link]
What the Bible Is Not
Contrary to what many Christians have concluded, the Bible does not tell two stories: the story of Israel in the OT and the story of the church in the NT. No, the Bible tells one story and points to one figure: it tells the story of how God rescues a broken world and points to Christ who accomplishes this. [Link]
Connecting Church and Family, Part 1
How does God intend to relate marriage and family to the church? How can churches today strengthen families? Authors Andreas Köstenberger and David W. Jones weigh in on this delicate issue facing church leaders today (Part 1). [Link]
Mistaking Porn for Art: It’s Time to Teach Real Beauty
A young man named Isaac was so confused by the steady diet of porn his generation has been consuming, that he thinks of it as "art" and equates it to "beauty." Sadly, Isaac represents millions like him who have been raised in a coarse pop culture–one defined and shaped by the devaluation of human beings. [Link]
Spiritual Parenting: An Awakening for Today’s Families
The recently-released Spiritual Parenting (David C. Cook, 2010) isn't another book offering parenting techniques. Author Michelle Anthony, Ed. D. focuses on your role as a parent and follower of Christ. In the following interview, Michelle Anthony shares words of wisdom on what it means to be a more spiritually-minded parent. [Link]
What Kind of Encouragement Does Your Spouse Need?
Both husbands and wives need regular encouragement, but men and women tend to see encouragement differently. So what does encouragement look like for your spouse? [Link]
As in Christ
“Let us love one another, for love is of God.” I John 4:7, NKJV Long to be more loving? Begin by accepting your place as a dearly loved child. “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children” (Ephesians 5:1, NIV). Want to learn to forgive? Then consider how you’ve been forgiven. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32, NIV). [Link]
Our Kids are Sleeping Less than We Did
· Children get an hour less than they did 30 years ago. Only 5 percent of high school seniors get eight hours of sleep a night. · According to researchers Bronson and Merryman, a 6th grader who loses an hour of sleep will only perform at the level of a 4th grader!· Tired children have trouble retaining what they are learning "because neurons lose their plasticity, becoming incapable of forming the new synaptic connections necessary to encode a memory. . . the more you learned during the day, the more you need to sleep that night." · Furthermore, sleep loss increases the hormone that stimulates hunger and decreases the one that suppresses appetite. Hence the correlation between less sleep and more obesity. Sleep needs to be taken seriously. Here are 10 ways for your family to get more sleep.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: What can we do to make sure we all get more sleep? [Link]
The State of Your Heart
“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart.” Luke 6:45, NIV When you are offered a morsel of gossip marinated in slander, do you turn it down or pass it on? That depends on the state of your heart . . . The state of your heart dictates whether you harbor a grudge or give grace, seek self-pity or seek Christ, drink human misery or taste God’s mercy. [Link]
How Sorry Are You… Really?
A man who had an affair angrily asks his wife, "How long do I have to pay for what I did?" When is a person's apology "enough?" What are some things we can look for to identify a truly repentant heart? [Link]
The Twitter of Doom
The problem is not the technology, but men too unreflective, too inhumane, and too badly uneducated to use it well. Let's leave twitter for that which is tweetable, such as American Idol–not a man's execution. [Link]
BP: Too Big to Care?
Tony Hayward's tone deafness to the magnitude of the crisis in the Gulf is an illustration of the pitfalls inherent in a globally-scaled economy. Is it realistic to expect small-town business ethics from corporate bigwigs? [Link]
Broken Genome Promises: Identifying the Weak
While genetics' potential to heal may be almost back to square one, the same can't be said for its potential to harm. [Link]
With Eclipse, the Twi-Hards Have Finally Met Their Perfect Match
From a purely technical perspective, Eclipse gives its devoted fanbase plenty to cheer about. Not only is the production value far more upscale, but the CGI has drastically improved, making it feel more like a blockbuster than a made-for-TV movie. As far as the storytelling goes, there's also far more at stake. [Link]
Delirious? Goes Out with a Brilliant Farewell Show
The Farewell Show—Live in London CD and DVD packs in plenty of career crests from the band's history-making tenure, captured in front of more than 5,000 fans at the UK's sold-out Hammersmith Apollo. [Link]
Your Marriage: The Best is Yet to Come!
Do you know when most divorces occur? There are two peaks. One is 4 – 5 years into the marriage when disillusionment sets in. Your wife is not at all what you expected and vice versa and the thinking is that you all might be happier with someone else. On top of that, you may have a newborn child in your home. The other peak is right after the last child leaves home. Called the empty nest syndrome, couples who have been "kidcentric" find out they know hardly know each other. However, according to Dr. Gary Thomas, the highest level of marital satisfaction, surprisingly surpassing even the honeymoon phase, is after 25 years of marriage. Couples who are married more than a quarter century are, generally, the most happy they have ever been. Share with us the reasons why you think that is. Then, find out the 10 Ways to Divorce-Proof Your Marriage.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: "Can I share this list with you and let's talk about which one or two we can work on?" [Link]
How Mentoring College Students Can Help The Slow Fade
The college years are a crucial time for people to engage in relationships that give them encouragement and support. Here's how Christians can mentor college students and help slow the church drop-out rate. [Link]
How to Know the Will of God
How is it possible for a man to know the mind of God? If God has a plan for your life, how does He reveal it to you? [Link]
The Twilight I Longed For: Finding Peace in the Second Half of Life
Even as a believer who has been blessed to walk with God for more than thirty-five years and to have spent much of that time in public ministry, I will admit that I have regrets. And Isaiah's words, "the twilight I longed for," brings many of those regrets to the surface. [Link]
Is Bad Ever Good?
Job loss, financial crisis, rebellious children, disappointments, rejection, unexpected illness – the list of what we call "bad" goes on. Can anything good come from a bad situation? That depends. [Link]
Forecasting Your Future Career
One facet of exploring career options that is critical-but often overlooked-is investigating the future viability and demand for the types of jobs you are considering. Here are some resources for checking into the wage and employment trends for careers of interest. [Link]
22 Ways to Slash the Grocery Bill
With our busy lives and harried schedules, it's easy to forget the basics of wise grocery shopping. Here is a quick collection of the best tips I know for slashing your grocery bill. [Link]
Retirement Cash Flow Strategies
Turning a portfolio of stocks and bonds into a stream of regular income can seem complicated. It doesn't need to be. [Link]
Pouring Out
“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4, NASB Trust God’s Word. Don’t trust your emotions. Don’t trust your opinions. Don’t even trust your friends . . . Jesus told Satan, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” The verb proceeds is literally “pouring out.” Its tense suggests that God is constantly and aggressively communicating with the world through his Word. God is speaking still! [Link]
What does meaningful time with your kids look like?
Fatherhood expert Curtis Neimeister has put together a very helpful list of what meaningful time with your children is. The first 3 are:1. Sitting together reading a book out loud 2. Hiking or camping with them3. Teaching them to play chessVisit here for the full list of 10 Ways to spend meaningful time with your children.Hear how Tony Dungy most enjoys spending time with his children. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: "What's something we can do this weekend that we have never done before?" [Link]
Not The Same
“I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people.” Acts 2:17 On the surface they appear no different. Peter is still brazen. Nathanael is still reflective. Philip is still calculating. They look the same. But they aren’t . . . In them dwells a fire not found on earth. Christ has taught them. The Father has forgiven them. The Spirit indwells them. They are not the same. And because they are different, so is the world. [Link]
We Wear Jesus
“All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Galatians 3:27, NIV We wear Jesus. And those who don’t believe in Jesus note that we do. They make decisions about Christ by watching us. When we are kind, they assume Christ is kind. When we are gracious, they assume Christ is gracious. But if we are brash, what will people think about our King? When we are dishonest, what assumptions will an observer make about our Master? . . Courteous conduct honors Christ. [Link]
The Twilight Feeding Frenzy
Is The Twilight Saga phenomenon just harmless, escapist entertainment? Is it nothing more than a fictitious tale of teen romance? Or is it something that easily deceives, drawing young women away from the truth to fill the empty void in their lives? [Link]
Homeowners Weigh Morality of Walking Out on Mortgages
Desperate homeowners like Lynn Thompson – whose property is worth $90,000 less than she purchased it for – have raised an ethical debate: Is it ever OK to walk away? [Link]
Is There a Message in Lincoln's Religion for Obama?
In studying Lincoln, President Obama will find out that the hand he asked to "guide us" in his Gulf talk is the very providence that Lincoln depended on. [Link]
Partying Toward Extinction: Peter Singer and Humanity
Peter Singer latest op-ed, "Should This Be the Last Generation?", assumes there's nothing inherently sacred about human life. [Link]
He Said-She Said: Starting to Date Again
A reader asks: "How do you know when you are ready to start dating again after a traumatic long-term marriage has ended … and how does a godly man treat someone he dates?" Find out what "he" and "she" have to say in response in this edition of "He Said-She Said." [Link]
Crazy Summer Days: Keeping Teens Busy through July and August
Keeping teens busy in the summer is a challenge. They've abandoned the sandbox and outgrown the plastic pool in the backyard. Here are several suggestions. [Link]
A Mission for Your Marriage
In a nutshell, we're here on planet Earth to fulfill the greatest command: love God and love others. And to the extent that we achieve that goal through our marriage, we will find the greatest joy. So how can you identify your unique marriage mission? [Link]
A Simple and Effective Discipline Tip
Audra, a Play of the Day subscriber, writes, "When my 7-year-old son got into trouble at school, I required him to write an apology to his teacher. In his neatest handwriting, my son had to state the offense, write a sentence taking responsibility for the offense and promising not to do it again." Thanks, Audra, for the great idea! And it doesn't have to stop with teachers. Having your child write a note to his mother, his sibling, his grandparents etc. can be an excellent and classy way for him to make up for an offense.Do you know the 10 ways to discipline your child? Huddle up and tell your children tonight: "The next time you are mean to another person, you will be writing an apology note." [Link]
A New Creation
“If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 At our new birth God remakes our souls and gives us what we need, again. New eyes so we can see by faith. A new mind so we can have the mind of Christ. New strength so we won’t grow tired. A new vision so we won’t lose heart. A new voice for praise and new hands for service. And most of all, a new heart. A heart that has been cleansed by Christ. [Link]
We Wear Jesus
“All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Galatians 3:27, NIV We wear Jesus. And those who don’t believe in Jesus note that we do. They make decisions about Christ by watching us. When we are kind, they assume Christ is kind. When we are gracious, they assume Christ is gracious. But if we are brash, what will people think about our King? When we are dishonest, what assumptions will an observer make about our Master? . . . Courteous conduct honors Christ. [Link]
A New Creation
“If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 At our new birth God remakes our souls and gives us what we need, again. New eyes so we can see by faith. A new mind so we can have the mind of Christ. New strength so we won’t grow tired. A new vision so we won’t lose heart. A new voice for praise and new hands for service. And most of all, a new heart. A heart that has been cleansed by Christ. [Link]
For Clergy, Losing Faith Can be an Occupational Hazard
Some church leaders are beginning to step out of the closet. Not regarding sexual sin, but an even greater issue, one about which pastoral search committees probably wouldn't even dream they need to ask: "Are you, Preacher, a believer?" [Link]
Defeat Defeatism by Preaching Good News
Leaders should share the good news about the church by noticing, naming and nurturing those whom God uses to produce good fruit. [Link]
Ten Reasons I Am a Pastor
Have I ever contemplated leaving the pastorate? Admittedly, there are times when even the prospect of digging ditches for a living has a certain appeal. But I know God has called me to be a pastor, and I have never seriously considered bailing out. Let me explain why. [Link]
Tom Cruise is King in the Royally Entertaining Knight and Day
With this summer's light-as-air but still thoroughly enjoyable popcorn flick Knight and Day, Tom Cruise should officially be back in the audience's good graces. After all, this is the Tom Cruise we all like—funny, charismatic and yes, slightly unhinged. [Link]
Caped Crusaders Championed in Superman on Earth: Reflections of a Fan
Author and pastor Gary Robinson, who grew up infatuated with Superman, and remains intrigued with the superhero genre even into his fifties, has recently written Superman on Earth: Reflections of a Fan, a book on his life and times with this uniquely American aspect of pop culture. [Link]
Lazy Grown Ups Still Good for a Few Laughs
The new Adam Sandler comedy Grown Ups is the movie equivalent of a skit that airs between 12:30 and 1 a.m. on Saturday Night Live. A lot of it falls flat, but if you're in a forgiving mood, you might find yourself chuckling despite your better judgment. [Link]
The End of Men? — A Hard Look at the Future
As Hanna Rosin argues in The Atlantic, "Man has been the dominant sex since, well, the dawn of mankind. But for the first time in human history, that is changing—and with shocking speed." [Link]
Make The Right Choice
“Everyone must die once and be judged.” Hebrews 9:27 Eternity is to be taken seriously. A judgement is coming. Our task on earth is singular—to choose our eternal home. You can afford many wrong choices in life. You can choose the wrong career and survive, the wrong city and survive, the wrong house and survive. You can even choose the wrong mate and survive. But there is one choice that must be made correctly and that is your eternal destiny. [Link]
Enlisting Others to Join the All Pro Dad Army
First, forward all your e-mail contacts the Play of the Day e-mail and encourage them to sign up here. Second, you can add something like "I'm an All Pro Dad… are you? Find out at AllProDad.com" to your e-mail signature. Imagine how many folks can become better fathers just by getting an e-mail from you and logging on to our website. Third, talk to your school's principal or PTA president about starting an All Pro Dad's Day chapter. Finally, promote our website on your Facebook and Twitter. Word of mouth is the best advertiser, and if you get a lot out of All Pro Dad, please spread the joy!Huddle up with your wife tonight and say: How can we promote All Pro Dad to our friends and family? [Link]
"Let My People Go": An Appeal to End the Horror of Human Trafficking
Can there be anything that grieves the Father's heart more than the forced enslaving of people made in His own image—by others bearing that same divine imprint? [Link]
The World: Love It or Hate It?
John 3:16 tells us that God the Father loves the world so much that he sent God the Son to fix it. But we’re told in 1 John 2:15‑17 not to love the world, and James tells us that “a friend of the world” is “an enemy of God.” What’s going on? Is the world good or bad? Are we to love it or hate it? [Link]
Hospitality and Intimacy: Ways to Connect with Others
Here are some ideas I want to share with you that can help let our guards down when in a small group or hospitable settings. [Link]
Protecting Yourself from a Life Crisis
When career expectations aren't realized, too many people lose vision and hope for the future… [Link]
Surviving a Struggle for Identity
Why are we so consumed with trying to "find" ourselves? Is there really a piece of us missing out there that we must find? Cindi McMenamin, author of Women on the Edge, shares ways you (and your marriage) can survive an identity crisis. [Link]
"Let My People Go": An Appeal to End the Horror of Human Tafficking
Can there be anything that grieves the Father's heart more than the forced enslaving of people made in His own image—by others bearing that same divine imprint? [Link]
The World: Love It or Hate It?
John 3:16 tells us that God the Father loves the world so much that he sent God the Son to fix it. But we’re told in 1 John 2:15‑17 not to love the world, and James tells us that “a friend of the world” is “an enemy of God.” What’s going on? Is the world good or bad? Are we to love it or hate it? [Link]
Hospitality and Intimacy: Ways to Connect with Others
Here are some ideas I want to share with you that can help let our guards down when in a small group or hospitable settings. [Link]
Toxic Stress: The Art of Letting Go
Women are particularly vulnerable to excessive, toxic stress. Taking on more than we should, and not realizing it until it's too late, is often the problem. [Link]
Protecting Yourself from a Life Crisis
When career expectations aren't realized, too many people lose vision and hope for the future… [Link]
Eternal Happiness
“God has planted eternity in the hearts of men.” Ecclesiastes 3:10, TLB You will never be completely happy on earth, simply because you were not made for earth. Oh, you will have your moments of joy. You will catch glimpses of light. You will know moments or even days of peace. But they simply do not compare with the happiness that lies ahead. [Link]
6 Things NOT to Do for Your Marriage
Here are some killer marriage tips – literally! After you are done laughing and shaking your head, here are 10 ways to really romance your wife. Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: "Let's do something romantic this weekend by ___." [Link]
True Optimism in a Wounded Workplace
One of my friends recently went through two rounds of layoffs in her company, a situation all too common these days. How do we deal with this? [Link]
Is Bankruptcy Ever Okay for a Christian?
While bankruptcy's stigma has weakened in recent years, it is still an especially troubling topic for many Christians. What about the biblical admonition, "The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously" (Psalm 37:21)? [Link]
The Imam's Daughter
Besides being a great read about a brave young woman, the book shows us that we need to reach out to everyone, including Muslims, to show them the love that God has for them through Jesus Christ. [Link]
The Gulf Oil Spill: The Obama Administration in Microcosm
One cannot help but be amazed at the parallels between the Obama Administration and the oil spill. Day after day, week after week, and now month after month the black ink spews into the Gulf cutting a swath of oily destruction and depositing tar balls on the beach. Day after day, week after week, month after month, and now year after year the Obama Administration and his willing accomplices in the House and the Senate pour out a sea of red ink sinking us deeper into debt. [Link]
Gay Is Okay: Polls Show Positive Media Portrayal Worked
For the first time a majority of Americans—53 percent—believe that gay and lesbian relationships are morally acceptable. These results were to be expected. [Link]
Keeping Tiny Little Disagreements Tiny
You know how it can go—a sharp word, a wince, a quick but perfectly aimed retort, and there you go—like a row of dominoes crashing down. [Link]
Has Homeschooling Ruined My Son's Life?
Throughout the program the audience laughed, cried, videotaped, photographed, and cheered for those seniors. I was right there with them. So was my homeschooled son. I kept thinking about him the entire time. Does he resent me and his mother for homeschooling him? [Link]
The Relational Economy: An Introduction
It would be quite absurd to tell someone searching for love that the process is—relational. That is called stating the obvious. It would be even more absurd to say to them that the process is an economic one. Yet inescapably there is a relational economy. [Link]
We Are His
“Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness.” Psalm 138:2, The Message We give more applause to a brawny ball-carrier than we do to the God who made us. We sing more songs to the moon than to the Christ who saved us . . . Though we may not act like our Father, there is no greater truth than this: We are his. Unalterably. He loves us. Undyingly. [Link]
You Need to Put on Your Children's Shoes
Abraham Lincoln commented that the best trial lawyers spend 20% of their time preparing their case and 80% of their time preparing the case of their opponents. In other words, they put themselves in the other lawyer's shoes to see what direction the arguments would take. The same is true of being an All Pro Dad. When you're consistently dealing with the same arguments from your kids over and over again, try to see the problem from a different angle and come at it from their perspective. For instance, if your children are hooked on video games, understand it may be their way of escaping a stressful day at school or a peer pressure situation. So instead of slamming off the PlayStation® and lecturing them vigorously, give them a better offer of spending time with you. Put yourself in their shoes, and you will find them walking alongside you.Do you know about the 10 fun things to do with your teenagers? Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: What's one thing about you that you don't think I understand? [Link]
How to Grow with God
Don't be someone who believes in Jesus, yet isn't staying close enough to Him to grow. Root yourself in good spiritual soil so you can grow to become the person God intends you to be. Here's how. [Link]
Why Does God's Grace Not Amaze Us More?
Being amazed by God’s grace is a sign of spiritual vitality. It is a litmus test of how firm and real is our grasp of the gospel and how close is our walk with Jesus Christ. Yet not all Christians find it so amazing. Why? [Link]
The Amazing Technicolor Multifaith Theology School
The Claremont School of Theology, a school historically related to the United Methodist Church, is transforming itself into a multifaith center for the training of clergy… including imams and rabbis. [Link]
He Wants You To Fly
“If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22 Don’t reduce this grand statement to the category of new cars and paychecks . . . God wants you to fly. He wants you to fly free of yesterday’s guilt. He wants you to fly free of today’s fears. He wants you to fly free of tomorrow’s grave. Sin, fear, and death. These are the mountains he has moved. These are the prayers he will answer. [Link]
The Greatest Basketball Story Ever
Watch what we think is the greatest basketball story ever. Then huddle up with your kids tonight and watch it with them.And you might not be surprised at Tony Dungy's top 3 football memories.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Who is someone in your class you think people underestimate? Why? [Link]
The Double-Reach of Self-Righteousness
Surprisingly to some, the greatest threat to gospel advancement is not unrighteous badness, but self-righteous goodness. [Link]
Chilly Winter's Bone Gives Glimpse into Desperate Lives
Depicting the lives of the rural poor facing dire circumstances, Winter's Bone is not a pretty picture. Yet it is an artful film with a harrowing ending that delivers a punch to the gut that, unlike the effect of mainstream summer movies, lingers long after the closing credits. [Link]
Green Zone Might Make You See Red
Before Green Zone, Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon teamed for two of the Jason Bourne films to much better effect. Although the third Bourne film revolved around issues, its main concern was a character. Green Zone is about an issue—the Iraq War—rather than about its characters. [Link]
Robert Randolph Goes Back to American Roots on We Walk This Road
Before recording We Walk This Road, Robert Randolph and producer T-Bone Burnett spent hours listening to American roots music, including everything from old spirituals to current popular music. Then they took what they believed to be a good sampling and began infusing them with Randolph's signature, pedal-steel sound. [Link]
Time to Celebrate
“He will destroy death forever.” Isaiah 25:8 Jesus explained that the river of death was nothing to fear. The people wouldn’t believe him. He touched a boy and called him back to life . . . He let a dead man spend four days in a grave and then called him out. Is that enough? Apparently not. For it was necessary for him to . . . submerge himself in the water of death before people would believe that death had been conquered. After he . . . came out on the other side of death’s river . . . it was time to celebrate. [Link]
What do your kids Google when You're not around?
What do you think are the top five Internet search terms for girls? What about for boys? Here's a hint: sex is in both boys' and girls' top five. Here's the full list, and we should warn you that some of the content may be objectionable. Once you look at it, consider having your kids sign our Internet contract. And, if you haven't set up parental controls on your kids' computers yet, here are 3 resources that can help to monitor and limit what their eyes are seeing. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What do you think are the top Google search terms for kids your age? [Link]
Biblical 'Contradictions': The Reason We Require Theologians
Entire books have been written listing all the seeming contradictions found in the Bible. Entire libraries have been written to answer them. It's why theologians will never be out of a job – we need people who know all the Bible and think well about these things to help figure them out. [Link]
Bullying at Mount Si High and Christian Bystanders
When it comes to bullying, are you a victim, perpetrator, bystander or a hero? At Mount Si High near Seattle, one young man knows the pain of trying to be a hero. Sadly, bullying based on perceptions of sexual orientation bring out the bystander in far too many Christians. [Link]
Meet the New American Family, Digitally Deluged
Christians are not called to be modern-day Luddites, smashing digital devices with sledgehammers. But we are called to be faithful stewards of digital opportunities, even as we are also called to be faithful in all our relationships. [Link]
The Uncomfortable Truth about Comfort Care
You've probably never heard of Don Holley. But you should know how his family says he died: in a San Francisco hospital at the hands of medical staff using a procedure called "Comfort Care." [Link]
Lessons from the Great Recession
God uses difficult economic circumstances to cause us to become more dependent upon Him, to be more reliant on His financial principles, and to reprioritize our lives. [Link]
Faith-Based Credit Unions: An Option for Christian Savers
Of the more than 9,000 state and federally chartered credit unions in the U.S., many are overtly Christian in their emphasis. [Link]
Ease Your Mind with These Surprising Travel Tips
Today, I have a couple of pre-emptive tips for those of you who will be traveling this summer. The first is for those who will be traveling abroad, and the second for travelers who plan to pay bills ahead before they leave town for an extended period of time. [Link]
To Be With Me
“After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me.” John 14:3 Note the promise of Jesus. “I will come back and take you to be with me.” Jesus pledges to take us home. He does not delegate this task. He may send missionaries to teach you, angels to protect you, teachers to guide you, singers to inspire you, and physicians to heal you, but He sends no one to take you. He reserves this job for Himself. [Link]
Being Busy
“Those who believe in God will be careful to use their lives for doing good.” Titus 3:8 Being busy is not a sin. Jesus was busy. Paul was busy. Peter was busy. Nothing of significance is achieved without effort and hard work and weariness. That, in and of itself, is not a sin. But being busy in an endless pursuit of things that leave us empty and hollow and broken inside—that cannot be pleasing to God. [Link]
What We Really Need for Father's Day: The Wisdom of Serpents
Father's Day is usually a powerful reminder about social norms, traditions, and yes, prejudice. We see just how uncomfortable parts of the church are when it comes to a man’s nature, and how men are deemed more sinful than women. The author of No More Christian Nice Guy says we're out of balance here. [Link]
Jonah Hex Sputters, Stalls
This film has all the ingredients of a strong summer movie—it features a rising star (Josh Brolin) in the title role and Transformers It-Girl Megan Fox. Add John Malkovich to give it some serious-actor cred, and the on-screen energy should be combustible. But Jonah Hex is far from it. [Link]
Jonah Hex Sputters, Stalls
This film has all the ingredients of a strong summer movie—it features a rising star (Josh Brolin) in the title role and Transformers It-Girl Megan Fox. Add John Malkovich to give it some serious-actor cred, and the on-screen energy should be combustible. But Jonah Hex is far from it. [Link]
Father Really Does Know Best
Even without a Christian father, I was blessed to be loved by a dad with high standards and moral values. Now, I'm concerned about the shift I've seen in our culture regarding our view of fathers… [Link]
FATHER'S DAY
FATHER'S DAY [Link]
Prodigal Fathers
Have you ever considered the father figure in the Parable of the Prodigal to be the focus of that story, not the wayward son? After all, the word "father" is mentioned many more times than the word "son." [Link]
Start a Revolution on Father's Day
What we need when Father's Day arrives on Sunday is nothing short of a family revolution, led by America's fathers. [Link]
Leaving a legacy…Part 1
One thing I have learned in my journey is that every dad leaves a legacy. The only question is whether that legacy will be good, bad, or indifferent. Being a father is tough because we generally learn how to parent while on the job. [Link]
Imagination Soars to Infinity and Beyond in Toy Story 3
With the release of Toy Story 3 almost 11 years after its predecessor, the franchise continues to soar to infinity and beyond, thanks to heartfelt storytelling, great celebrity vocal talent and imaginative action sequences featuring Woody, Buzz and the rest of everyone's favorite toys. [Link]
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader – Trailer
In this new installment of The Chronicles of Narnia film franchise, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with Eustace and King Caspian, find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to the Dawn Treader. As they embark on an incredible adventure, they confront obstacles beyond imagination. Watch the official trailer for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader now! [Link]
College Pop Matures on What We Want, What We Get
A former staple on the college music circuit, one of Nashville's favorite, formerly independent singer/songwriters, Dave Barnes, is maturing into a full-fledged pop artist with his fourth full-length project, What We Want, What We Get. [Link]
What Love Says
“Love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8, NASB Have you ever heard anyone gossip about someone you know? . . . What do you have to say? Here is what love says: Love says nothing. Love stays silent. “Love covers a multitude of sins.” Love doesn’t expose. It doesn’t gossip. If love says anything, love speaks words of defense. Words of kindness. Words of protection. [Link]
Does your wife have PMS?
As husbands we've all had to deal with PMS. While we would never suggest that you throw your wife "out the window," we have a humorous look at this sensitive subject. Check out this video! But jokes aside, PMS can be a significant medical issue for many women. Here are 4 Steps to Survive Your Wife's PMS.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: What's one thing I can do to help you when you are not feeling well? [Link]
Cell Phones, Computer Games and Teenagers
I have a question/dilemma: How does a parent regulate a teen's phone, iTouch, laptop, and TV usage during the summer? [Link]
Make These the "Good Old Days"
If you are held captive by or haunted from experiences or people from the past, get help with them, and do it soon. Yesterday is gone. Why live your life thinking, worrying about or carrying "stuff" around from days gone by? [Link]
Islam and the Politically Correct White House
To avoid the word "jihadis" when it is employed by terrorists themselves is rather like visiting Lenin's tomb in Moscow and failing to mention that Lenin was a communist. [Link]
Talk to Me! Should Christians Retreat from Public Square?
Tell me whether you think this is the right time for the church to be engaged and speaking out about the issues. Or should we simply sit back and take care of ourselves and the church? [Link]
Glimmers of Hope Escape Battle-Weary Iraq
Several months ago I talked to an Iraqi Christian family who was forced to flee to a neighboring country due to safety concerns… [Link]
Father's Day Blues
Let's face it, guys. Father's Day is the Rodney Dangerfield of holidays, the get-no-respect little brother of Mother's Day. Still, Father's Day is a great opportunity to remember, before we fall asleep on the couch, what being a good father is about… [Link]
Say “I Do” to the Name Change
The Globe and Mail recently suggested that women who get married should say "I don't" to changing their name. Is this advice wise? [Link]
To Be Saved By Grace
“God gives us a free gift—life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 One of the hardest things to do is to be saved by grace. There’s something in us that reacts to God’s free gift. We have some weird compulsion to create laws, systems, and regulations that will make us “worthy” of our gift. Why do we do that? The only reason I can figure is pride. To accept grace means to accept its necessity, and most folks don’t like to do that. To accept grace also means that one realizes his despair, and most people aren’t too keen on doing that either. [Link]
10 Ways to Survive a Hard Life
Tsutomu Yamaguchi of Japan recently died at the ripe old age of 93. He is the only known person to have survived the atomic bombs dropped both at Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. What terrible things he must have seen. But he survived. Hopefully none of us will ever be in that situation, but we are promised there is much trouble ahead. Whether it be an aging parent disappearing into Alzheimer's, a child diagnosed with cancer, foreclosure papers or a spouse who is ready to leave, life is struggle. Life is war. And you are not ultimately in control. First, hear from that great American philosopher, Rocky Balboa, about how to deal with a hard life.Go here for ten ways to survive something terrible. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: How do you think you will handle something really hard happening to you? [Link]
Jesus … Single Like Me: He Took Care of His Family
Even though Jesus knew his profession was not to be a carpenter forever, he still learned a craft and supported his family until God changed things. Jesus' singleness allowed him more freedom to be available for his family and eventually his ministry. [Link]
Postmodernism: Friend or Foe?
There is a great deal of consternation and, I might add, confusion over the nature and impact of postmodernism. Many Christians immediately assume that all things postmodern are the source of pernicious moral relativism and that postmodernism is sure to destroy all truth. However, might postmodernism serve as an ally to Christian faith? [Link]
No More Christian Nice Girl
Your mother may have said, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar," but Jesus wants you to do far more than manipulate people with saccharine pseudo-Christianity. [Link]
The Masculine Mandate
If we want to be the men God is calling us to be—men who are rightly admired and respected by those we love, men who faithfully fulfill our duty before God—then we will make as our motto and watchword the Masculine Mandate that we have received from God… [Link]
How Can I Get Started Studying the Bible?
" I have an old Bible that belonged to my grandmother, and it's difficult to understand. Where do I begin? How can I get more out of reading the Bible?" [Link]
Is Your Financial House Built on Rock or Sand?
How many people, Christians included, build and continue to build their financial houses on sand? Here are five steps to help you build a solid foundation. [Link]
Making Wise Use of Your Time
Only the Lord knows how much time we have and, as believers in Jesus Christ, our time should be spent focused on Him and on those He has placed in our lives — our family, our friends, our church and those He would have us reach for His Kingdom. [Link]
Finance Q&A: Should I Buy a House?
I am a single parent with two teenagers. What kind of advice would you give for buying a home? [Link]
Once And For All Time
“We are made holy through the sacrifice Christ made in his body once and for all time.” Hebrews 10:10 The Son of God became the Lamb of God, the cross became the altar, and we were made holy through the sacrifice Christ made in His body once and for all time. What needed to be paid was paid. What had to be done was done. Innocent blood was required. Innocent blood was offered, once and for all time. Bury those five words deep in your heart. Once and for all time. [Link]
What Dad's Can't Do
Father's Day is this Sunday, and we hope it's a wonderful family day for you. Your kids will celebrate all the things you do. Watch this video to realize some of the things you can't do. And that's encouraging. So keep on not doing. It's just what your children need. Thanks for being an All Pro Dad!Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Have I told you how much I love being your Dad? [Link]
Gulf Oil Spill Seeps into Spiritual Life
Especially in Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes, the spill weeks ago found its way into every sermon, message and homily, as pastors seek to give it meaning… [Link]
After IVF, Abortion? What Does This Say?
One might think that the most welcome place in the world for an unborn child would be the womb of a mother who would seek and undergo IVF fertility treatment. In a significant number of cases, that assumption is proved wrong. [Link]
Breaking the Cycle: Prisoners and Their Children
Ever heard the proverb, “The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree”? That’s certainly true with prisoners and their children. But there’s good news to report. [Link]
Mysterious Ondine Takes Surprising Turn
Ondine, writer/director Neil Jordan's tale of personal healing and recovery, is more art house than mainstream crowd-pleaser, although the film eventually develops a bit of an identity crisis. What appeared to be a sure-footed, imaginative tale becomes something harder and more of a genre exercise. [Link]
Lack of Surprises Withstanding, When in Rome Still Plays Cute
While the movie's trailer definitely had that lackluster, made-for-TV feel, perhaps it's the presence of fresh faces Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel, not to mention their winsome chemistry, that caused When in Rome to surpass my expectations. [Link]
Michael Cera Shines in Twisted Youth in Revolt
Michael Cera is a star. If you didn’t know it after his role on Arrested Development, or his turns in Juno and Superbad, or after he shared top billing with Jack Black in Year One, you’ll know it after Youth in Revolt. [Link]
Crisis Management 101: Faith vs. Fear
What is the first reaction that most of us have in a crisis? That first emotion when we hear bad news? [Link]
He Made His Point
“I have made known to you everything I heard from my Father.” John 15:15 We learn brevity from Jesus. His greatest sermon can be read in eight minutes (Matthew 5-7). . .He summarized prayer in five phrases (Matthew 6:9-13). He silenced accusers with one challenge (John 8:7). He rescued a soul with one sentence (Luke 23:43). He summarized the Law in three verses (Mark 12:29-31), and he reduced all his teaching to one command (John 15:12). He made his point and went home. [Link]
Protecting your Children from Modern Day Rats
A social worker recently shared about visiting a very poor family in the Appalachian Valley. He entered their one room shack and was stunned that a newborn was sleeping in a chicken-wire cage on the floor. The social worker was about to file a child abuse report when the father indicated why he puts his infant son in a cage – "so the rats don't gnaw on him at night." How unbelievably sad that folks are still this poor in 21st century America. And while we hope we never have to build a physical cage around our children, we sure need to put our kids in a symbolic one. We have to protect our children from "rats" whose aim is to empty pockets and souls. But how do we start? A great first step is knowing what the most popular songs and bands are and reviewing their lyrics. What are they actually saying? We have a complimentary tool to help you do this called our Music Monitor. Please add it to your list of favorites and check it every week. It'll probably shock you to see what the most popular songs are actually saying and then encourage you to keep building your cage until your kids can begin discerning on their own. And a great way you can help the poor right in your hometown is to have a couple manna bags in your car as shown in this video.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Who is your favorite band? Why? [Link]
Is “Ever After” Just Too Long? Marriage and Modernity
The cultural conversation about the breakup of Al and Tipper Gores' marriage indicates something of how difficult it is to contend for Christian marriage in the context of modernity. [Link]
The Believer’s Heart
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 NIV Matthew 5 is a step-by-step description of how God rebuilds the believer’s heart. The first step is to ask for help to become “poor in spirit” and admit our need for a Savior. The next step is sorrow. Those who mourn are those who know they are wrong and say they are sorry. The next step is one of renewal: “Blessed are the meek. . .” Realization of weakness leads to the source of strength–God. [Link]
Serving those who serve
Imagine being half a world away for a year or more at a time and missing your child's first steps or ballet recital or high school graduation. That's what fathers (and mothers) in our military face every day. Their heart yearns for their family, but they know their first duty is to protect them and others. Watch this heartwarming video of a father and son reunited at school and remember how much military families do for us.Now it's our turn. Sending a CARE package overseas to a soldier is a lot simpler than you might think. And will mean the world to them. Put together a box with your kids and ship it. While you are assembling it, talk to your children about all our military does for us.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you think you would like to be a soldier someday? [Link]
America: Going Out of Business?
As the economic viability of the European Union teeters on the brink of collapse, Americans are getting a close up look at what happens when “borrow and spend” becomes the national modus operandi. [Link]
Seeing Things as They Are: Calvin, the Epicureans & Today's Atheists
John Calvin’s response to the atheists of his day offers insight for modern Christians. [Link]
Our Worship And Our Fears
Behind everything you worship is some fear that, without this person or thing, you’d be lost. Life wouldn’t be worth living. What do you fear the most? [Link]
Build a Successful Small-Group Ministry
Are your frustrated with the way your church's small groups are working out? Here are some ways to get them to Activate. [Link]
Is “Ever After” Just Too Long? Marriage and Modernity
The cultural conversation about the breakup of Al and Tipper Gores' marriage indicates something of how difficult it is to contend for Christian marriage in the context of modernity. [Link]
When Your Son Says "I Do": A Mother’s New Role
I stepped back and surveyed my boy, the groom. He towered over me, tall and confident. He's ready, I thought. But am I? I'd played the role of leading lady on his life's stage throughout his growing up years, but that was about to end. [Link]
The Single Life: Having a Wonderful Time, Glad You're Not Here
While I'm a big fan of traveling with friends, there are distinct advantages to taking yourself on a trip. Granted, traveling solo in a double-occupancy world has unique challenges, but it has some fabulous benefits, too. [Link]
He Longs For You
“As a man rejoices over his new wife, so your God will rejoice over you.” Isaiah 62:5 Look long enough in to the eyes of our Savior and, there….you will see a bride. Dressed in fine linen. Clothed in pure grace. From the wreath in her hair to the clouds at her feet, she is royal; she is the princess. She is the bride. His bride. Walking toward him, she is not yet with him. But he sees her, he awaits her, he longs for her. [Link]
Not Stimulating, The A-Team Still Gets a "B"
No, The A-Team is not a mentally stimulating movie, nor is it particularly creative, artistic, or complicated. Sure, the characters are one-dimensional, the story's been done, and the plot twists are predictable. But who cares? It's fun. [Link]
Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan Give Karate Kid a Little Kick
The screenwriters charged with rebooting The Karate Kid, starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, stick with a faithful, almost scene-by-scene remake of the 1984 film that made Ralph Macchio and the expression "wax on, wax off" household names. [Link]
Is God Delaying Your Dreams?
Does it seem like God is taking a long time to accomplish a dream in your life? If so, you are not alone. [Link]
Sweating in Church
Recently, I was studying what causes people to feel spiritually frustrated. The two top reasons? Bible study and prayer. I get that. [Link]
How to Create Real Life Communities of Faith
If you build relationships with people wherever you meet in your everyday lives, you can generate momentum that will help them eventually connect with God and other believers. [Link]
Why I Tell Stories from the Bible (and Why You Should, Too)
Scripture memory is a wonderful discipline, but people need to internalize more than a Bible verse or two. Stories – in particular biblical stories – entertain us, but they also encourage us, challenge us, and even show us how to live. [Link]
Shivers Galore on Shutter Island
Dreamlike and full of haunting imagery and music, Shutter Island is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane and is a spectacular downer with several moments of great emotional anguish. But it ends on such a grim note that it's hard to imagine anyone enjoying the film. [Link]
Revenge and Romance Come Together in A Woman Called Sage
DiAnn Mills combines a variety of storytelling elements to create an interesting, attention-grabbing story. Murder, romance, prejudice, revenge, Christian ethics … and the Wild West? It's a provoking combination. And it ends with a surprise conclusion to the prevailing mystery. [Link]
Like His Own
“He will take these dying bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like his own.” Philippians 3:21, TLB Does this body seem closer to death than ever before? It should. It is. And unless Christ comes first, your body will be buried. Like a seed is placed in the ground, so your body will be placed in a tomb. And for a season, your soul will be in heaven while your body is in the grave. But the seed buried in the earth will blossom in heaven. Your soul and body will reunite, and you will be like Jesus. [Link]
Tom Landry's Job Description…and Yours, too
Tom Landry, coach of the Dallas Cowboys for almost three decades, said, "The job of a football coach is to make men do what they don't want to do in order to achieve what they've always wanted to be." The same is true of being a parent. Your children don't always want to do what you tell them, but, if you're thoughtful about the rules you set and the expectations you have of them, they can achieve far more than they can imagine. Here are 3 Ways to make discipline a positive experience. Tony Dungy shares what he learned from Tom Landry's example – Huddle up and ask your children tonight: Can you remember something you didn't want to do that you did anyway and now are glad you did? [Link]
Large Families: Blessings or Burdens?
These days, having more than two children can unleash a tsunami of ire from family, friends and total strangers. Three mothers give their perspectives on the most common complaints and misconceptions about large families. [Link]
Time to Stop the EPA's Assault on America
The consequences of putting hard-working families and small businesses at the mercy of unaccountable EPA bureaucrats cannot be understated. [Link]
Perfect Sportsmanship: Baseball and the Beauty of Forgiveness
Recently, Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers was one out away from throwing the 21st perfect game in Major League Baseball history… [Link]
Iran's Christians: Targets of a Dictator
The stories of Christians in Iran over the past couple of months sounds like a modern-day rendition of the Apostle Paul's sufferings. The methods of tyrants have changed, but the reality of persecution is the same. [Link]
Singles in the Church: Faith with Work
If there's one thing to learn from today's economy, it's that we can't derive our identity from our job. Our identity rests in Christ alone, and he provides us the resources we need to work for him first. Your singlehood may even be a tool God can use to make your job its own ministry. [Link]
Can I Serve the Lord Through My New Business?
It’s a mistake to think of life as being either “serving in business” or “serving the Lord.” [Link]
My John Wooden Story
A very large number of the rich and famous I have observed have been disappointing and it is often in one particular area. How they treat those who have nothing to offer them. [Link]
Saved by Faith
“The important thing is faith—the kind of faith that works through love.” Galatians 5:6 Symbols are important. Some of them, like communion and baptism, illustrate the cross of Christ. They symbolize salvation . . . but they do not impart salvation. Putting your trust in a symbol is like claiming to be a sailor because you have a tattoo . . . Our God . . . saves us, not because we trust in a symbol, but because we trust in a Savior. [Link]
Good and Bad Wives
The Greek philosopher Socrates thought it was a great idea to get married. His reasoning? A good wife will make you happy. A bad wife will make you a philosopher. But sometimes marriage is not about having a good or bad wife; it's about what we can do to become better husbands. And how to avoid unnecessary marriage conflict. The first step is to improve our communication skills. Here are 10 Ways to Improve your Marital Communication. For one comedian's philosophy for a happy marriage, watch this.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: What is one thing we can do to improve our communication? [Link]
Live with Less to Enjoy More
Our culture constantly says that you need more in your life: a bigger house, a newer car, better clothes, more activities. But pursuing what truly matters requires living with less – not more – so you'll be free to grow closer to God and other people. [Link]
Suffering and the Biblical Story
Two ideas must be present in how we think about suffering: (1) suffering is not original; it has not always existed. (2) suffering is not something created or authored by God. [Link]
Preaching: Act of Spirituality or Arrogance?
The act of preaching is either a spiritual act or an arrogant act. There is nothing in between for anyone who stands in the pulpit. [Link]
Institutional Emphasis: Trusting in Man Rather than God
The modern trend of adopting the culture’s approach (modernity) to management within the church both reflects and encourages a diminished dependence on the Holy Spirit. In essence, our confidence can (and I believe has) inadvertently become rooted in the church’s organizational and management expertise (natural means) rather than supernatural means. Here's an example… [Link]
Why Do Long-time Married Couples Break Their Vows?
Many people were surprised to hear the news that Al Gore and his wife Tipper have decided to get a divorce. People automatically think that a couple married for 40 years would stick it out until one of them dies. But the trend has been changing for some time. [Link]
To Tell the Truth: Confronting a Dishonest Teen
Kids lie for the same reasons that adults lie…to lift themselves up, to get ahead, to destroy their competition, or to protect themselves and avoid consequences. It's best to deal with dishonesty earlier in life, since it tends to grow incrementally with each lie that isn't caught. [Link]
Setting Healthy Boundaries for a Healthy Relationship
I can think of no more important skill to help us relate in a healthy way than setting boundaries. Let's discuss the situation of two people who wrote to me recently. [Link]
Try Again
“We worked hard all night and caught nothing.” Luke 5:5 NASB Do you know the feeling of a sleepless, fishless night? Of course you do. For what have you been casting? . . . Faith? “I want to believe, but . . .” Healing? “I’ve been sick so long . . .” A happy marriage? “No matter what I do . . .” You’ve sat where Peter sat. And now Jesus is asking you to go fishing. He knows your nets are empty. He knows your heart is weary . . . But he urges, “It’s not too late to try again.” [Link]
Celebrate Your Daughter, and Try Not to Cry
Is your daughter approaching an upcoming milestone? Why not go all out to celebrate it? As an example, see what Pastor Francis Chan did for his daughter's Sweet 16. Do something that your little girl, now almost grown, will remember… forever. Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: "What is something special we can do for our daughter?" [Link]
Freedom from Porn: One CEO Takes a Stand
In the never-ending battle of the technological titans, score one for Steve Jobs. No, the CEO of Apple hasn't come out with yet another groundbreaking iProduct, at least not since the iPad… [Link]
Homosexuality and the Military — What’s Really at Stake?
Now that the full normalization of homosexuality in the U.S. military looms before us, are we ready for all that this means? Almost surely not. There are huge realities that frame the momentous nature of this policy change. [Link]
Episcopal Head Lashes Out at Anglican 'Colonial' Uniformity
Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has forcefully defended her church's embrace of gays and lesbians, and firmly rejected efforts to centralize power or police uniformity in the Anglican Communion. [Link]
Raunch Knows No Bounds in Get Him to the Greek
A little bawdy humor goes a long way, and Get Him to the Greek goes much further than the bounds of good taste allow. That's part of the movie's calculus, of course—it offers scenes designed to shock, and scenes that will lead to can-you-believe-that moments of laughter. [Link]
Splice Falls to Pieces
Although not a terrible sci-fi film, Splice is unoriginal, as well as inconsistent. Its weakest segment, oddly, is when the overtly sexual aspects of DREN become part of the main plot. Rather than being erotic, these scenes come across as just comical. The movie loses all intensity, realism, and drama. [Link]
Reading Fiction: The Pursuit of a Peculiar Pleasure
Stories and characters, along with the morals and themes of good fiction give voice to our own views. They're therapeutic for us as readers. And seeing them on the printed page affirms our thoughts and validates our experiences. [Link]
Goodness and Mercy
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6, NKJV What a huge statement. Look at the size of it! Goodness and mercy follow the child of God each and every day! Think of the days that lie ahead. What do you see? Days at home with only toddlers? God will be at your side. Days in a dead-end job? He will take your hand. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me—not some, not most, not nearly all—but all the days of my life. [Link]
You Need to be Blindsided
If you have not seen the PG-13 movie The Blind Side, circle a time this weekend to watch it with your kids if they are old enough. It's a soul-stirring story about a kid who came from nothing and has made something extraordinary of his life. Even if your kids are too young to watch it, they'll still like this story about the real life Michael Oher. And hear what Tony Dungy loved about The Blind Side.Huddle up with your older kids tonight and ask: When would you like to watch The Blind Side? [Link]
Eric Metaxas on Why Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Why Now
"The singular thing about Bonhoeffer that recommends him to this generation is that he calls us to a closer, authentic walk with Jesus," says author Eric Metaxas. "His life asks us, ‘How do we live as authentic Christians all the way, in the face of struggles and evil?' [Link]
Raunch Knows No Bounds in Get Him to the Greek
A little bawdy humor goes a long way, and Get Him to the Greek goes much further than the bounds of good taste allow. That's part of the movie's calculus, of course—it offers scenes designed to shock, and scenes that will lead to can-you-believe-that moments of laughter. [Link]
Splice Falls to Pieces
Although not a terrible sci-fi film, Splice is unoriginal, as well as inconsistent. Its weakest segment, oddly, is when the overtly sexual aspects of DREN become part of the main plot. Rather than being erotic, these scenes come across as just comical. The movie loses all intensity, realism, and drama. [Link]
Valuable to Him
“Be happy with me because I found my lost sheep.” Luke 15:6 When Jesus told the story of the missing sheep, some of the people who were listening wiped away a tear because they knew how it feels to be lost among the crowd. Jesus wanted us to understand that we have a Father who sees and cares for each one of his children—that we are all equally valuable to him. [Link]
Camping Disasters = Great Memories
Summer just isn't summer if there isn't at least one family camping trip planned. As Dr. Gary Smalley says, "Camping is wonderful because there's at least one major disaster that in the end brings you all together." So hurry up and get that disaster planned! Hopefully it will go a little smoother than this classic Sanford and Son camping trip. Build family relationships on your next camping trip by using our Top 10 Ways to make your family camping trip rock!Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: When can we all go camping? [Link]
Doin' What Comes Naturally?
A new book says that monogamy is not the design for the human "organism." Another book disagrees. [Link]
Is Religion Evil?
The 2001 suicide attacks by Islamic fanatics on the World Trade Center in New York and elsewhere are seen by the "New Atheists" as surefire demonstrations of the intrinsic evil of religion. But is it true that lurking within every religious believer lies a potential terrorist and that if we get rid of religion the world will be a safer place? [Link]
5 Tips to Deepen Your Relationship with God
We all want a deeper relationship with God and seek it in different ways though we don’t always feel as if we’re getting very far. Part of the problem is that often we’re focused on a feeling which is no real judge of our walk with God. [Link]
The Courage to Say No
I'm not going to pretend I don't have strengths when I do–that's just a churchy way of lying. [Link]
Did I Make the Right Decision?
It’s always easy to look back and criticize yourself for the decisions you made years ago. [Link]
Paying for College with a Reality Check
One year in a moderately priced private college or university can easily cost $17,000-$20,000. Yet, College can be affordable for the typical family if they research wisely and start planning early. [Link]
To Tithe or Not to Tithe? That is the Question
How much of our income is to be given to God as the firstfruits? Should you tithe even if you can't pay your bills? [Link]
Preparation
“Think only about the things in heaven.” Colossians 3:2 Engaged people are obsessed with preparation. The right dress. The right weight. The right hair and the right tux. They want everything to be right. Why? So their fiancée will marry them? No. Just the opposite. They want to look their best because their fiancée is marrying them. The same is true for us. We want to look our best for Christ. We want our hearts to be pure and our thoughts to be clean . . . We want to be prepared. [Link]
Christ Can
“I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” Colossians 1:29, NASB God was with Abraham, even calling the patriarch his friend . . . But he is in you; you have a million resources that you did not have before! . . . Can’t stop worrying? Christ can. And he lives within you. Can’t forget the past, or forsake your bad habits? Christ can! And he lives within you. [Link]
Killers Lacks Any Instincts—Acting or Otherwise
Ashton Kutcher may be the second most popular person on Twitter, but Killers is truly a movie only his mother could love. Not only is the flick sorely lacking instincts of any kind, but the only chuckle in this nearly plot-free endeavor is a wisecrack about his character learning his mad gun skills in 4-H. [Link]
Marmaduke is a Barkin' Good Time for Kids (But No One Else)
Filled with madcap action and a happy ending you'll see coming from a mile away (this ain't Old Yeller, after all), Marmaduke is a movie your kids will probably love, but you'll barely suffer through, thanks to a slew of corny jokes and lame pop culture references. [Link]
He is Kind
“God has . . . all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us.” Ephesians 2:7, The Message God knows everything about you, yet he doesn’t hold back his kindness toward you. Has he, knowing all your secrets, retracted one promise or reclaimed one gift? No, he is kind to you. Why don’t you be kind to yourself? He forgives your faults. Why don’t you do the same? . . . He believes in you enough to call you his ambassador, his follower, even his child. Why not take his cue and believe in yourself? [Link]
Summer Reading — Books Fit for the Season, Part 1
Hopefully, the stack for summer reading includes some books to read for sheer enjoyment. The following is a list of ten books that, in my opinion, make for great summer reading. [Link]
Women and Honor Killings: What a Difference Christianity Makes
The outrages in India and elsewhere are a reminder of the difference that Christianity has made, whether its contemporary critics are willing to admit it or not. [Link]
The BP Oil Spill Needs a Jury Trial
The BP accident illustrates the lengths to which some corporations will go to protect their bottom line at the expense of safety, and protect their hind ends when their corner-cutting measures end in disaster. [Link]
From the Set: Sherwood Pictures Gears Up for Courageous
Just shy of 2,300 miles from the bright lights of Hollywood in Albany, Georgia, the Sherwood Baptist Church community is working tirelessly on its fourth feature film, Courageous, which is slated for a 2011 release. Go behind the scenes and take a closer look at this filmmaking process that's currently under way. [Link]
Christianity Really Is in Crisis in The Last Christian
Is it reasonable to think that Christianity could die out within the next 80 years? David Gregory addresses this premise directly in the futuristic novel, The Last Christian, giving several theories as to why it is a reasonable possibility. [Link]
Superchick Mixes It Up on Reinvention
On Reinvention, Christian music's favorite smorgasbord band, Superchick, mashes it up once again, churning out retooled versions of the GRAMMY-nominated group's favorite catalog songs. [Link]
How to Really Build Your Child's Self-Esteem
For many years now, we've heard that low self-esteem is what makes kids misbehave. But a New York Times writer said, "D students think as highly of themselves as valedictorians." As a father, the issue is not making your children feel good about themselves in and of themselves. It's making them feel like treasures because God sees them as treasures and has equipped them with gifts that no one else in the world has. Only when your kids are taught to look upwards with gratitude can they look inwards with amazement.Even the best dads need help thinking of things to say, so try our 10 specific compliments you can give your children and watch their faces light up! Huddle up with your children tonight and say: I am proud of you because _________________. [Link]
Top 10 Articles of May 2010
There are 50 things that should make every believer's bucket list. Find out what they are while exploring this month's top 10 articles. [Link]
Fighting Porn: The Newest Battlefront on the Oldest Profession
As a nation we have declared war on smoking, obesity, and other personal choices that carry harmful social costs. Why haven't we declared war on porn with its link to sex trafficking? [Link]
Why Is God Taking His Sweet Time?
The more I search the scriptures, the more I find that our God is a God of waiting. He takes His time to accomplish things, whether it be something we're hoping for, a change in an individual's life, or a significant event in history. God is apparently in no hurry. [Link]
Are We Too Fond of Our Own Will?
What are you holding on to so tightly that it almost makes your hands hurt? [Link]
He Said-She Said: Inappropriate Relationships
Guy likes girl. Girl says she's already in a relationship. Yet girl seeks to spend time with guy on the side. "Compromising situations" are involved. Is it inappropriate? And can guy and girl go back to just being friends? Read what "he" and "she" have to say in response. [Link]
Don’t Divorce On a Friday: 7 Ways to Save Your Marriage
While the stats may be alarming, many marriages can be saved. You don't need to stand by, helplessly riding an emotional roller coaster, bracing for the next brick wall. [Link]
Watch and Pray
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Mark 14:38, NIV “Watch.” . . . Keep your eyes open. When you see sin coming, duck . . . When you sense temptation, go the other way . . . “Pray.” . . . What prayer does is invite God to walk the shadowy pathways of life with us . . . guarding our backside from the poison darts of the devil. “Watch and pray.” Good advice. Let’s take it. [Link]
Do you face fear every day?
Mark Twain said, "I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened." Most of our fears are illusory. They are unreal. But they can imprison us. How do you break free? The first is to confront them as this amazing video shows us. Then, as Tony Dungy shares, we must learn how to make fear motivate us to do something amazing.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: What is your biggest fear? How can I help you overcome it? [Link]
A Prayer God Loves to Answer
"Lord, use me more!" What Christian doesn't want to come to the end of his or her life and know that it was a life well spent for God and His kingdom? But give thought to how you pray, my friends. [Link]
A Cure for Gospel Confusion
As Christians today keep struggling to fully grasp the gospel's incredible breadth and power–both for themselves and for the changing world around them–Tullian Tchividjian's book, "Surprised by Grace" carries a liberating message that forces us to come to grips with the shocking extent of God's compassion and mercy. [Link]
Is the Bible Reliable for Truth about Jesus Christ?
Why should anyone believe that what the Bible has to say is true? Isn’t the belief in the historicity of biblical texts similar to faith that Zeus reigned from Mount Olympus? [Link]
Breakthrough Faith at the Gates
Perhaps you are still waiting for a breakthrough in your life. Jesus has the breaker anointing to break through in any situation that you or I may face. [Link]
Riding the Income Roller Coaster
If you depend on commission sales or other forms of self-employment for your livelihood, you may know what it’s like to live on a roller-coaster income… [Link]
Your First Chance to Make A First Impression
The average job seeker is not equipped to make a positive first impression. At the very earliest steps to a new job we slam the door closed because we are not prepared. [Link]
Contentment
“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6, NKJV In our world, contentment is a strange street vendor, roaming . . . slowly from house to house . . . offering his wares: an hour of peace, a smile of acceptance, a sigh of relief . . . When I asked him why so few welcomed him into their homes, his answer left me convicted. “I charge a high price, you know . . . I ask people to trade in their schedules, frustrations, and anxieties . . . You’d think I’d have more buyers . . . but people seem strangely proud of their ulcers and headaches.” [Link]
When should you say you're sorry?
And when should you ask for forgiveness? Think they're the same thing? Well, not really. Teach your kids the difference. "Sorry" is OK for accidents, like spilling milk or bumping into someone. But when your kids do something on purpose — calling their brother or sister a name, not sharing — then they have to say, "I was wrong — please forgive me." And they have to do it without making excuses and without a bad attitude. Asking for forgiveness is an experience that teaches humility and responsibility. And that's nothing to be sorry about.Do you know how to ask your kids for forgiveness? Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: Is there anything I have done to hurt you that I should ask forgiveness for? [Link]
Ecological Catastrophe and the Uneasy Evangelical Conscience
For too long, we evangelical Christians have maintained an uneasy ecological conscience. I include myself in this indictment. We believe in free markets, but when government fails or refuses to protect its own people, whether from nuclear attack or from toxic waste spewing into our life-giving waters, the government has failed. [Link]
Churches Race to Support Members Impacted by Gulf Oil Spill
As oil continues to spill into the Gulf of Mexico, churches and religious organizations along the Louisiana coast are providing food, money and support to parishioners whose livelihoods hang in the balance. [Link]
Finance Reform Lacks Civil Courage
Enormous ethical lapses on the part of lenders, bond raters, speculators, and home buyers led to the financial crisis. The problem is that Congress is ignoring two of the major causes behind the financial crisis. [Link]
A Black Cat in a Dark Room — Are Theologians Really Saying Anything?
Far too many academic theologians take their paychecks and attend their academic meetings despite their unbelief. For them, theology is just one more discipline in the theory-laden world of the modern academy. [Link]
Tim Burton's Wild Imagination Put to Good Use in Alice in Wonderland
Given that Tim Burton has been the guy responsible for everything from the lovable Edward Scissorhands to the grisly Sweeney Todd, it's not surprising that Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland would be a perfect vehicle for his unconventional filmmaking. [Link]
Uninspired Wolfman is a Howler
With so much going for it, The Wolfman should offer a moody atmosphere, a few good scares and actors who set the right tone for the material. But it turns out the new film is merely "inspired by" the earlier Wolfman—but doesn't exhibit much inspiration at all. [Link]
Holmes Crafts a Powerful Story in Crossing Oceans
In portraying Jenny, using the first person point of view, Gina Holmes draws on her personal experience as a nurse who has dealt with the sick and dying. She appears to have walked in Jenny's shoes, living the ravages of illness, grief, anger, worry, and fear. [Link]
Impossible
“With God nothing will be impossible.” Luke 1:37 In our world of budgets, long-range planning and computers, don’t we find it hard to trust in the unbelievable. Don’t most of us tend to scrutinize life behind furrowed brows and walk with cautious steps? It’s hard for us to imagine that God can surprise us. To make a little room for miracles today, well, it’s not sound thinking . . . We forget that “impossible” is one of God’s favorite words. [Link]
Kiss your wife and get richer
Studies indicate that a man who kisses his wife good-bye when he leaves for work every morning averages a higher income than those who don't. Husbands who exercise the rituals of affection tend to be more attentive, more stable, more methodical, thus, higher earners. Studies also show that men who kiss their wives before leaving in the morning live 5 years longer than those who don't. A kiss isn't just a kiss after all. Just make sure you hit the mouthwash first.Kissing your wife cannot only make you richer, but can make your marriage less stressed as well. Check out our list of 10 things to do to help your marriage feel less stressed! Huddle up with your wife tonight and plant a big one on her! [Link]
Love & Respect: How Your Money Habits Affect Your Spouse
As I've been reading Emerson Eggerichs' book, naturally titled Love and Respect, it made me wonder about the implications for how husbands and wives use money, especially since finances are typically one of the most contentious issues in marriage. So, I decided to ask my wife, Jude… [Link]
God So Loved Us
“If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:11, NKJV Jesus humbled himself. He went from commanding angels to sleeping in the straw. From holding stars to clutching Mary’s finger. The palm that held the universe took the nail of a soldier. Why? Because that’s what love does. It puts the beloved before itself. [Link]
Let's remember what freedom cost
Today is Memorial Day and most of us will sleep in late, head to a picnic and then maybe catch a ball game. Few of us will stop and consider what our country's freedom has cost. So here is a reminder from Saving Private Ryan Please be advised – this is a realistic, violent depiction, but it's what freedom costs. And if you happen to see a veteran today, be sure to thank them.Huddle up with your children tonight and ask them: Have you seen a picture of the Vietnam Memorial before? Why do you think these men gave their lives? [Link]
Memorial Day 2010: Earn Your Life
Are we, out of gratitude, doing our duty for Christ, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, ministering to those in prison, in whatever harvest field to which the Lord has called us? [Link]
Someone Worth Losing Everything For
Are you Radical enough to reclaim your faith from the clutches of the American Dream? [Link]
The "Contemporvant Service" Parody Video – What Can We Learn?
Like most viral videos seeking to make a point, this one has its supporters and detractors. Some call it a brilliant parody while others are deeply offended by its supposed slap in the face at churches targeting unbelievers. I tend to side with the first group, and I think there are a few things we can learn from it. [Link]
Oh Lord It's Hard To Be Humble?
Humility is a virtue that is, in my humble opinion, seriously misunderstood. [Link]
Dealing with the Control Freak in Your Life
You know them by the way they hem you in. They have a “right” way of doing things and you better do it the way they say is “right” or else you face their criticism, shame and even disrespect… [Link]
The Value of One-on-One Time
Our pup was always energetic and ready to play, just like kids. And just like kids, he was happy and generally stayed out of trouble as long as his caretakers were giving him love and attention. [Link]
Pull Out All the Stops to Help Your Teen
For parents, there is no worse feeling than watching your child spin out of control while nothing you do seems to make any difference. If your teenager's behavior is giving you feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and fear, I would like to offer you some suggestions. [Link]
He Knows Your Name
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13, NKJV Relax. You have a friend in high places. Does the child of Arnold Schwarzenegger worry about tight pickle-jar lids? Does the son of Nike founder Phil Knight sweat a broken shoestring? . . . No. Nor should you. The universe’s Commander in Chief knows your name. He has walked your streets. [Link]
Memorial Day Remembrance
For more than two centuries, America has produced generation after generation of extraordinary young men like Ryan Adam Miller who have answered the call to defend freedom. Some, like Ryan, have paid the ultimate price. It is these that we honor on Memorial Day as we celebrate those loftier virtues that have secured some measure of peace and liberty in a fallen world. [Link]
One Flock
“There will be one flock and one shepherd.” John 10:16 God has only one flock. Somehow we missed that. Religious division is not his idea . . . God has one flock. The flock has one shepherd. And though we may think there are many, we are wrong. There is only one. Never in the Bible are we told to create unity . . . Paul exhorts us to preserve “the unity which the Spirit gives” (Eph. 4:3, NEB). Our task is not to invent unity, but to acknowledge it. [Link]
Memorial Day: Remembering Our Loved Ones
I'm in no rush, but there is peace in knowing that we will indeed be in the same place one day because, as mighty as death seems, it has no power to keep God's own in the grave. [Link]
The Dangerous Disconnect Between People and Government
Events in the past several weeks have shown me that we are entering a critical phase in American political life. And I don't say this lightly. [Link]
Has Man Created Life? The Synthetic Cell
Just days ago, Dr. Craig Venter and his associates announced the achievement of the first synthetic life form, a bacterium with DNA sequenced entirely by computer — a human-designed life form. [Link]
Sorry, Mr. President: Socialism Is Not in the Bible
Barack Obama may say that the Bible tells him to be his brother's keeper but he ought to go back and reread what God's Word actually says. Engels was right. Socialism has nothing in common with Scripture. [Link]
Prince of Persia Falls Short of Better Popcorn Movies
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time has the elements of a successful formula film, but it sells short its best assets in exchange for tedious special effects designed to please those who enjoyed the video game on which the film is based. [Link]
Sex and the City 2 Even More Embarrassing Than Its Predecessor
For a show that's always championed the cause of sisters doin' it for themselves, Sex and the City 2 manages to derail that mission (and anything resembling good taste along the way) in an excruciatingly long two hours and 26 minutes. [Link]
24: We Do Know Jack. We ARE Jack.
What in the end proved most true for Jack is the same thing that in the end we all hope (and many of us trust) will prove most true for us. [Link]
God Is For You
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:32, NKJV God is for you. Your parents may have forgotten you, your teachers may have neglected you, your siblings may be ashamed of you, but within reach of your prayers is the maker of the oceans. God! God is for you. Not “may be,” not “has been,” not “was,” not “would be,” but “God is!” [Link]
Are you a hero?
Captain Ed Freeman, United States Army helicopter pilot, recently passed away. He distinguished himself by his bravery when on November 14, 1965; he supported a heavily engaged American infantry battalion in the La Drang Valley of Vietnam. The American unit was almost out of ammunition after taking some of the heaviest casualties of the Vietnam War. Captain Freeman risked his own life by flying his unarmed helicopter through a gauntlet of enemy fire time after time, delivering critically needed ammunition, water and medical supplies to the besieged battalion. Freeman flew 14 separate rescue missions in the same day and provided life-saving evacuation of 30 seriously wounded soldiers. All of his landings were made within 100 meters of the enemy front lines.Not all heroes have to be soldiers. But all heroes take some kind of fire because they stand up for what they believe in. Whether it's storming the beach at Normandy or sitting at a six hour swim meet to watch your child swim 30 seconds, a hero cares less about himself than his principles. And this is the type of man his children wish to follow.How is this for seeing modern heroism? Specialist Channing Moss was hit by a live rocket-propelled grenade in Afghanistan. For medics there was only one choice. WARNING: This video contains graphic images and adult language. It may not be suitable for all audiences. Please use discretion. And Tony Dungy shares about his hero, his father, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen.Huddle up and ask your children tonight: Who is your hero? [Link]
Five Steps to Peace in a Really Bad Situation
How do you get peace in a really bad situation? You may be in the fight of your life financially and about to lose your home. It may be that you’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer as my father-in-law was last week. It may be that your marriage is falling apart. You fill in the blank. We’re either headed into a crisis, in the midst of one, or coming out of one. Now coming out of one is great. But how can we get peace if we’re headed into or in the midst of a crisis? [Link]
Do We Really Know Jesus? Adam Gopnik and the Gospels
Even the most secularized classes, those whom Friedrich Schleiermacher called the "cultured despisers of religion," cannot leave Jesus alone. Not even The New Yorker. [Link]
Of Pastors & Pyramids: Master Builders Required
Even Egypt's massively complex Great Pyramid is built upon a simple formula: Design x Substance + Energy + Time. It's the same equation used in evangelism. [Link]
Largest Prison Chapel in U.S. Opens for Ministry
It has been a long and some times arduous journey, but a new Spiritual Life Center at the El Dorado Correctional Facility (EDCF) in Kansas finally held its dedication and open house May 4. [Link]
You Can Win the Battle with Busyness
Overscheduled. Overworked. Overcommitted. Overwhelmed. Our busyness can be the product of doing lots of good things. But are they the good things that we should be doing? [Link]
Uncovering the True Value of Free
I received an interesting letter from reader Liz P., who works for a non-profit organization called Spreckels Organ Society in San Diego, Calif. She shared with me her pet peeve: people do not appreciate things that are free. [Link]
Getting Your "Financial Bus" on Track
If you are the driver of a financial bus that is spiraling out of control, here's some advice that can help you get back on track when the wheels come off. [Link]
Devotion
“I give my life for the sheep.” John 10:15 The ropes used to tie our Lord’s hands and the soldiers used to lead him to cross were unnecessary. They were incidental. Had they not been there, had there been no trial, no Pilate and no crowd, the very same crucifixion would have occurred. Had Jesus been forced to nail himself to the cross, he would have done it. For it was not the soldiers who killed him, nor the screams of the mob. It was his devotion to us. [Link]
A Major League Sibling Rivalry
Have you ever heard of Dominic DiMaggio? He was Joe DiMaggio's younger brother, played for the Boston Red Sox and was a seven-time All Star center fielder. Dom had a pretty impressive 34-game hitting streak in 1949, but it was his big brother Joe who brought it to an inglorious end by catching his sinking line drive to the outfield. Joe could never have his brother top his 56-game hitting streak gem in 1941. A great example of a little sibling rivalry. By the way, after Joe's 56-game streak ended, he tore off another 16-game hitting exhibition… effectively hitting safely in 72 of 73 games! Stunning.If you have some sibling rivalry issues in your home, check out our 10 ways to curb sibling rivalry.Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: What can we do to help you all stop fighting so much? What if we tried some of these 10 ways? [Link]
Consumption or Contribution?
You don't have to set some crazy record to be known. Everyone is known for something in their lives. The question is, what will you be known for? [Link]
He Leads Us
“We will find grace to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:16, NLT God isn’t going to let you see the distant scene . . . so you might as well quit looking for it. He promises a lamp unto our feet, not a crystal ball into the future. We do not need to know what will happen tomorrow. We only need to know he leads us and “we will find grace to help us when we need it.” [Link]
Don't let your kid be a pothead
In a recent study by Dr. John Baucom, 81% of teens addicted to nicotine will try marijuana. On the flip side, the vast majority of adolescents who never smoke will never do drugs. If you suspect your teen of smoking, don't just brush it off. It is a gateway drug. You need to sit down with them and explain the dangers of lighting up and where smoking can lead. Share from your own experience or the experience of others. Lastly, tell them that you love them and only want the best for them.Raising teenagers is hard, but laughter helps. For a humorous way to encourage your kids not to smoke, watch this. And on a more serious note, take a look at this.Huddle up with your teen tonight and ask them: Have you ever been pressured to smoke? [Link]
Undoing Parenting Mistakes
Don't you wish there was a great big "Undo" button in life; where you could completely erase your parenting mistakes? I bet some parents would give anything for such a button. [Link]
Jesus … Single Like Me: He Knew His Purpose
His purpose was first a relationship with his Heavenly Father and, as a result, a relationship with us. This relationship involved dying on a cross for our sins. As a result of his purpose, our lives—as singles—have purpose. [Link]
Walking Down the Aisle as a Modern Family
Weddings should be a joyous time for our families. But with so many complex family dynamics today, including step family relationships, weddings can bring up a lot of feelings we thought we had taken care of and buried. [Link]
The Left Loses It Over Arizona's Immigration Law
Those who read the Arizona immigration law will quickly see that the flap it has created is a based on lies about its content. The law specifically bans racial profiling by insisting that immigration violations can only be enforced if they are discovered while police are investigating another type of violation. The law is patterned closely after Federal immigration law and in a sane world; it would not even raise a ripple of concern. [Link]
Forced Deportations in Morocco Worry Native Christians
Christians and expert observers are calling this a calculated effort to purge the historically moderate country, known for its progressive policies, of all Christian elements – both foreign and national. [Link]
Left Stepping Over the Bodies: The Fate of Christians in Iraq
Whatever you think of the Iraq war, it's painful to think that the most enduring legacy of our invasion may be driving the final nail in the coffin of an ancient Christian community. [Link]
MercyMe's Lovewell Not Quite a Concept Album
To call MercyMe's latest project, The Generous Mr. Lovewell, a concept album would be an overstatement. But there's certainly a unified thread that runs throughout the 11-track collection of uplifting pop and rock. [Link]
Pornography — The Difference Being a Parent Makes
Steve Jobs made this clear in his retort to Ryan Tate that he "might care more about porn when you have kids." Parenthood changes everything about one's outlook on life and its challenges. [Link]
When Satan Comes Knocking
When Satan comes against your mind with wrong thoughts, you don’t have to concede defeat. Use these practical actions to confront loose thoughts. [Link]
"What's Wrong With Dressing Sexy?"
A young woman wrote in to ask, "Why shouldn't I dress sexy if I want to?" Here's my answer to her. [Link]
What Makes God’s Heart Sing?
It's YOU – not rule-keeping or living a good life (whatever that is) – that makes God's heart sing. But how can we know that, and then, how can we respond to such love? [Link]
Lessons from LOST
While most television shows specialize in serving up a great big dish of fluff, it is rare to see a show address the philosophical and spiritual dimensions of life’s biggest questions. What are some lessons that Christians can take away from this pop culture phenomenon? [Link]
SNL-Based MacGruber Predictably Vulgar
From the standpoint of secular humor, it must be admitted that some of MacGruber can bring an unbidden grin to the face, accompanied by a blush. But from a Judeo-Christian standpoint, much of it is just too over the top to be appreciated or enjoyed. It will most definitely be offensive to most conservative viewers. [Link]
Follow Me
“‘Follow Me,’” [Jesus] told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.” Matthew 2:9, NIV You gotta wonder what Jesus saw in Matthew . . . Whatever it was, it must’ve been something. Matthew heard the call and never went back. He spent the rest of his life convincing folks that the carpenter was the King. Jesus gave the call and never took it back. He spent his life dying for people like Matthew, convincing a lot of us that if he had a place for Matthew, he just might have a place for us. [Link]
Could your child have an STD?
Raising teens is tough. Teen sexuality can be a tough subject to bring up – we know. Well, here's a reason to bite the bullet – you should know that within two (2) years of having sex for the first time, half of teenage girls may be infected with at least one of three common sexually transmitted diseases (STD's), according to results of a new study published by the American Medical Association. Often, those girls are infected by the age of 15. Your daughters are at risk for STD's as soon as they become sexually active. Teenage sex is a bad and risky behavior, but how do you parent your kids not to hook up in our sex-obsessed culture? Know what your kids mean by "hooking up" and don't be afraid to share your attitude about sex with your teens. Huddle up with your older children tonight and ask: Do you think waiting until marriage to have sex is a good idea? Why or why not? [Link]
I’ll Give You Eternity
“God makes people right with himself through their faith in Jesus Christ.” Romans 3:22 Even if you’ve fallen, even if you’ve failed, even if everyone else has rejected you, Christ will not turn away from you. He came first and foremost to those who have no hope. He goes to those no one else would go to and says, “I’ll give you eternity.” [Link]
An incredible Facebook story
You're a 52-year-old trucker, and you blew your chance with the Cincinnati Reds, blew your full-ride football scholarship at VMI, blew it all because you were just stubborn and rebellious and dumb. And then one day, your 8-year-old granddaughter tells you that you ought to get on a thing called Facebook, and two weeks later, somebody on this Facebook thing is telling you that you have a son.And not just a son, but Nick Jones, the strapping, two-time NCAA Division II discus champ and starting defensive end for Abilene Christian University.Oh, and by the way? Abilene Christian is in the playoffs not 90 minutes from your house this Saturday, and hey, would you like to meet Nick before the game? Read what happened next. Now Facebook can certainly be used for all the wrong reasons, but it is one of the most powerful ways to stay connected to those people and organizations you love. Be sure to fan us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. And find out more about our parent organization, Family First, by following our president Mark Merrill on Facebook and Twitter.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: If you could reconnect with one person in your past, who would it be? [Link]
Walking the Narrow Road
Have you ever reached a point in your life where you needed some direction? Where you wanted someone to just show you the path to take or tell you what to do? I have a time or two. [Link]
Can’t Turn This Worldview Thing Off
A teenager named Chris attended a worldview training program run by Summit Ministries. But by the end of the two-week program, he was exhausted. So he decided to "veg out" by watching a movie… [Link]
The Constitution, Not the Court, Is Supreme
The hype and angst surrounding Elena Kagan's nomination to the highest court of the United States proves that the Supreme Court is the "trump card" of American politics. [Link]
Commemorating Mao But Not Mother Teresa
The Empire State building's management—the same brain-trust that offered up this crowning touch for Chairman Mao—is refusing to light up for Mother Teresa. [Link]
Why Should I Hire You?
How would you answer the interview question,"Why should I hire you?" This is a frequently asked interview question that the majority of job seekers are unprepared to answer… [Link]
Dress for Financial Success
Trends come and go. Fortunately, saving money is never out-of-style. Here are ideas that will help you dress for success while staying within a responsible budget. [Link]
What's Your Unique Selling Proposition?
Recently a new place — Sweet CeCe's — popped up in a space that has been used unsuccessfully by several sandwich, coffee and ice cream businesses. [Link]
Hidden With Christ
“Your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3, NIV “Your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” The Chinese language has a great symbol for this truth. The word for righteousness is a combination of two pictures. On the top is a lamb. Beneath the lamb is a person. The lamb covers the person. Isn’t that the essence of righteousness? The Lamb of Christ over the child of God? Whenever the Father looks down on you . . . He sees His Son, the perfect Lamb of God, hiding you. [Link]
Born Again
“I thank God for saving me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:25 Changing the clothes doesn’t change the man. Outward discipline doesn’t alter what is within. New habits don’t make a new soul. That’s not to say that outward change is not good. That is to say that outward change is not enough. If one would see the kingdom of God, he must be born again . . . The first birth was for earthly life; the second one is for eternal life. [Link]
U.S. Volunteer in Haiti Says 'Our Story' Was Different
Paul Thompson reads the media accounts describing the journey of him and nine other jailed Baptist volunteers in Haiti who are all now free, and scratches his head. What he reads is not what he says he experienced. [Link]
How to Resurrect Your Ministry
If you’ve grown frustrated and discouraged by ministry work, it’s time to be renewed. Here's how to tap into The Resurrection of Ministry. [Link]
It's a Wonderful Life in Final Shrek
Shrek Forever After is a fun riff on It's a Wonderful Life. The film moves along at a nice clip, without straining for the rapid-fire pop-culture jokes that make so many Dreamworks animated films insubstantial. And for once, we have a summer movie that's just what a summer movie should be—a lot of fun. [Link]
Even as a Sappy Romance, Dear John Doesn't Deliver
If you've read any of Nicholas Sparks' tear-jerking novels or watched the equally swoony big-screen renditions of The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe or Message in a Bottle, you've already got a pretty good idea of what to expect with Dear John. [Link]
Willing to be Used
“The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Psalm 37:11 The meek are those who are willing to be used by God. Amazed that God would save them, they are just as surprised that God could use them. They are a junior-high-school clarinet section playing with the Boston Pops. They don’t tell the maestro how to conduct; they’re just thrilled to be part of the concert. [Link]
10 specific manners your kids need to know
Good manners don't grow on trees, nor do they attach themselves to kids without some deliberate teaching and modeling by the adults at home and at school. Families that learn to practice good manners function more smoothly socially and experience reduced conflict at home. And children that have good manners are noticed and appreciated… setting them up for success. Do you think you model the 10 Specific Manners Your Kids Need to Know?Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: "Who is the rudest person you know? What do they do that is rude? Can we pray for them?" [Link]
The Great Isaiah Scroll & the Original Bible: An Interview with Dr. Peter Flint
For over forty years, the Great Isaiah Scroll was under lock and key, deep underground in Jerusalem. Recently, for the 60th anniversary of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery, the Israel Antiquities Authority displayed the scroll. [Link]
Paul's Last Words
Timothy had to question this strange calling. His mentor had more scars than friends, more jail time than spare time. He must have wondered, "How can anyone shepherd unruly sheep and menacing wolves at the same time?" [Link]
How to Resurrect Your Ministry
If you’ve grown frustrated and discouraged by ministry work, it’s time to be renewed. Here's how to tap into The Resurrection of Ministry. [Link]
Apocalyptic Road Winds to a Hopeful Place
The movie version of Cormac McCarthy's The Road is a story of a father and son trying to survive after an apocalyptic event. Although God is discussed, he is never embraced, yet The Road shows the importance of the power of hope to overcome bitterness and cynicism. [Link]
Ancient Words, New Light: How Studying Psalms Prepared a Pastor
"My friend's 3-month-old granddaughter died last night," said the caller. "They don't know what to do and don't have a church. Is there any chance you could visit them?" Even a weary pastor on his day off recognizes a holy moment. "I'll be right there," I said… [Link]
God Uses "Nobodies"
God doesn't take the majority of His workers from the ranks of the wise, mighty or noble. Paul says to get His job done, God uses things which are foolish, things which are weak, things which are base, things which are despised. [Link]
Romans: Cornerstone of Christian Living
Why must righteousness be a gift from God? Because all humanity is unrighteous, corrupted by sin and unable to live according to God's perfect standards. So suggests Paul in his "grandest, most comprehensive statement of the gospel," the letter to the Romans. [Link]
Truths We Learn from Fiction
Some have speculated that novels have become less popular with the advent of social media. But novels are, in fact, more deeply social than your best Facebook friend ever imagined. In the best fiction, writers reveal themselves. Through characters, dialog, action, and reflection they disclose their philosophies, emotions, and beliefs. [Link]
The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness
In the sixties, American women reported themselves happier, on average, than did men. Today, that statistic has reversed. Why are women more unhappy? [Link]
Hope for Parenting the "Me" Generation
The big question is this: How do parents establish their position of authority, while also maintaining their relationship with their teen? [Link]
The Day My Marriage Died: Healing in the Wake of Divorce
Every divorce circumstance is unique. However, for true healing it's necessary to grieve the death of the dream, the death of the covenant and the death of "What should have been." After 20 years of working alongside those experiencing the trauma of divorce here are a few suggestions. [Link]
Not Made For Earth
“Your faith and hope are in God.” 1 Peter 1:21, NIV You will never be completely happy on earth simply because you were not made for earth. Oh, you will have your moments of joy. You will catch glimpses of light. You will know moments or even days of peace. But they simply do not compare with the happiness that lies ahead. [Link]
10 Ways to Know You're Being a Good Father
What are the 10 ways you know you're being a good father? The first three are: when you help your kids with their schoolwork, when you take an interest in their hobbies, and when you show affection to your wife in front of them. For the complete list, check this out!Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: When you grow up and have kids, will you do anything differently than I do with you? Why or why not? [Link]
"Should We Marry If We’re Theologically Divided?"
A while back I posted a question from Calvin, a Reformed dispensationalist fundamentalist, and Aimee, a Pentecostal, who have fallen in love and want to get married. Y’all gave a spirited round of responses. Here are my thoughts on the question… [Link]
“For the Sake of God” — Must We Surrender Sexual Morality?
The opposing sides in the Anglican Communion cannot simply "put their differences behind them" and agree to move on. What the church would lose is its soul. [Link]
Indonesia's Court Strikes a Blow to Religious Freedom
With President Obama tentatively set to visit Indonesia next month, the world's most populous Muslim country faces a public relations crisis of its own making. [Link]
Frankie Has Two Mommies: Redefining Humanity with Our Cures
Nature told readers about a technique that could potentially “prevent a number of incurable genetic diseases.” But exploiting the potential comes at a cost. [Link]
Graduates…The Rolling Stones Were Right!
The Dallas Morning News recently ran an editorial about high school graduation speeches being a bit too optimistic. Writer Rod Dreher noted that "the bad news, high school graduates, is that you can't have it all. You aren't as free as you think you are. Sorry, but no matter what optimistic flapdoodle your commencement speaker tells you, that's the truth." [Link]
Passing on Healthy Financial Habits to Your Children
Fewer than half believe they are good role models for their children regarding saving and spending. Yet, 94 percent of students say their parents are their primary teachers on financial matters. Oops. We have a problem. [Link]
Money and The American Dream
Ken was making a six-figure income as a sales rep for a manufacturing company. A top performer in his company; he had won numerous awards and trips as bonuses for his sales figures. The fact that everyone saw him as a "success" made him even more conflicted about his growing dissatisfaction with his job and his life. [Link]
It May Not Be Easy
“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and sat down again.” John 13:12 Please note, he finished washing their feet. That means he left no one out . . . He washed the feet of Judas. Jesus washed the feet of his betrayer. He gave this traitor equal attention. In just a few hours Judas’ feet would guide the Roman guard to Jesus. But at this moment they are caressed by Christ . . . That’s not to say it was easy . . . That is to say that God will never call you to do what he hasn’t already done. [Link]
When your wife gets cancer
When a woman gets a cancer diagnosis, her husband is much more likely to leave her than if the roles were reversed according to an article in Newsweek. And it's not just cancer. In any traumatic event such as the death of a child or extended unemployment, husbands are usually the ones to throw in the towel first. We invite you to share your comments on why you think that is at our Facebook page. And also, hear from Tony Dungy himself on how to keep your marriage together despite a personal tragedy.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: "If something terrible happens to us, how will we get through it together?" [Link]
Finding Hope When Life Drives You to the Edge
I remember a season of my life in which I was feeling desperate. I wanted out of the frustration, out of the house, out of everything. But I didn't know where to go… [Link]
The Christian Bucket List: 50 Things Every Believer Should Do before Heaven
Let's try to do the right thing here and come up with some positive, non-alcoholic deeds which every disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ should do before departing this earthly sod. [Link]
Chan's Charms Wear Thin in Humorless Spy Next Door
Ever seen Kindergarten Cop? How about The Pacifier, Daddy Day Care or Are We There Yet? Basically, if you answer yes to any of these, well, then you can safely skip The Spy Next Door, as it's essentially the same pseudo family-friendly movie, only far, far less entertaining. [Link]
Real-Life Heroics on Display in Extraordinary Measures
Extraordinary Measures won't take you to places you've never been, but sometimes it's enough to see a feel-good movie about real-life heroics. An affecting lead performance from Brendan Fraser and the inclusion of faith elements put a little air under the story's wings as well. [Link]
Making the Impossible Possible
“If you have faith, it will happen.” Matthew 21:21 God always rejoices when we dare to dream. In fact, we are much like God when we dream . . . He wrote the book on making the impossible possible . . . Eighty-year-old shepherds don’t usually play chicken with Pharaohs . . . but don’t tell that to Moses. Teenage shepherds don’t normally have showdowns with giants . . . but don’t tell that to David . . . And for sure don’t tell that to God. [Link]
What Makes Your Heart Sing?
What makes your heart sing? Can you still hear the music of God's purpose? How do you tune in to the music that makes your heart sing? And how do you find it in the first place? [Link]
How to help your child get her first job
If your child is looking to get a part-time job in the near future, why not give her a mock job interview? Have her enter your office and sit down. First, note if she is dressed appropriately. Second, ask for her resume. Then ask her questions like following:· Why are you looking for a job?· What can you do for our company?· Why should I hire you?· What is your biggest strength? Biggest weakness?Also, be sure to tell your child not to ask about compensation until the end of the interview. A little preparation will go a long way in helping your kids land a job.Do you know the 10 Ways to Teach Your Kids a Good Work Ethic?Huddle up with your teen tonight and ask: "When is a good time we can do an 'interview' together?" [Link]
A Meal Says More than You Think: The Importance of Hospitality
The Bible teaches that acts of hospitality or inhospitality reveal the good or evil of a person or a community. Hospitality is a display of God's own heart and the abiding characteristic of those who live as God intends. [Link]
The Messenger Delivers Outstanding Performances
If I had a vote, The Messenger would be one of the 10 Oscar Award nominees for "Best Picture," and Ben Foster, Samantha Morton and Woody Harrelson would all receive acting nominations. It should not be missed and is that good. Seek it out. [Link]
After the Flood: Nashville Rebuilds and Reaches Out
As the water recedes, I've watched a new spirit of hope and community emerge in Nashville as residents – and Christian artists — band together to rebuild and reach out. [Link]
Kudzu Government: When the State Grows Wild
From General Motors to health care. From bank bailouts to national anti-obesity campaigns. Government is becoming more and more involved of every aspect of American life. [Link]
All Roads Lead to Heaven? — Kathleen Parker Does Theology
Kathleen Parker has advised secular America that the distinctive evangelical belief in the necessity of belief in Christ for salvation has a generational expiration date stamped on it. [Link]
A Moral and Just Response to the Immigration Crisis
We must think through the question of illegal immigration not only as concerned citizens, but also as compassionate Christians. [Link]
Little Ways to Save Big Money
Think you've cut your expenses all you possibly can? You might be wrong. [Link]
The Hard Work of True Charity
How do you best help someone who is struggling? If third-world natives are living in poverty, should we send them money? [Link]
Invite Jesus to be Your Career Counselor
God intends for your work to be about much more than just doing a job well. Work should be about a vocation – a whole lifestyle in which you honor God, contribute to the world in the ways you were uniquely designed to help others, and enjoy the process. [Link]
God Never Gives Up
“He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us.” Micah 7:18-19, NKJV When Joseph was dropped into a pit by his own brothers, God didn’t give up. When Moses said, “Here I am, send Aaron,” God didn’t give up . . . When Peter worshiped Him at the supper and cursed Him at the fire, He didn’t give up. God never gives up. [Link]
10 easy ways to get one-on-one time with your child
Have you tried to set specific times to get together with your children? With unpredictable schedules, it can be hard sometimes. So calendar your kids' birth date each month, and think of something fun that you can do with them — go for ice cream, go bowling, or something else they enjoy. For example, if your oldest was born on the 20th, you both will look forward to that date every month. If time with your kids isn't planned, it's that much tougher to fulfill. Calendar your most important clients. We've got 10 Ways to Make Time for Your Children, and for bonus points, do the same with your wife.Huddle up and ask your child: What would you like to do for your birthday date this month? [Link]
Virtual Friendship
I do not wish to deny that there are some legitimate uses of social networking. However, some negative effects of "virtual friendship" that I have observed are that it trivializes the notion of friendship and it erodes our sense of community. [Link]
Kudzu Government: When the State Grows Wild
From General Motors to health care. From bank bailouts to national anti-obesity campaigns. Government is becoming more and more involved of every aspect of American life. [Link]
All Roads Lead to Heaven? — Kathleen Parker Does Theology
Kathleen Parker has advised secular America that the distinctive evangelical belief in the necessity of belief in Christ for salvation has a generational expiration date stamped on it. [Link]
A Moral and Just Response to the Immigration Crisis
We must think through the question of illegal immigration not only as concerned citizens, but also as compassionate Christians. [Link]
Little Ways to Save Big Money
Think you've cut your expenses all you possibly can? You might be wrong. [Link]
The Hard Work of True Charity
How do you best help someone who is struggling? If third-world natives are living in poverty, should we send them money? [Link]
Invite Jesus to be Your Career Counselor
God intends for your work to be about much more than just doing a job well. Work should be about a vocation – a whole lifestyle in which you honor God, contribute to the world in the ways you were uniquely designed to help others, and enjoy the process. [Link]
Contentment
“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6, NKJV When we surrender to God the cumbersome sack of discontent, we don’t just give up something; we gain something. God replaces it with a lightweight, tailor-made, sorrow-resistant attache of gratitude. What will you gain with contentment? You may gain your marriage. You may gain precious hours with your children. You may gain joy. [Link]
Show Up
“It takes wisdom to have a good family, and it takes understanding to make it strong.” Proverbs 24:3 Do you believe in your kids? Then show up. Show up at their games. Show up at their plays. Show up at their recitals. It may not be possible to make each one, but it’s sure worth the effort . . . Do you believe in your friends? Then show up. Show up at their graduations and weddings. Spend time with them. You want to bring out the best in someone? Then show up. [Link]
Loving My Invisible Neighbor
James 2:15-16 shows us the difference between “fighting” for a cause, and loving people. “Be warmed and filled” is advocacy; “get in here” is love. [Link]
How Bible Study Changed My Life and Saved My Marriage
David Lawson of Precept Ministries knew his marriage was in serious trouble. So, while his wife B.J. was out of town visiting a relative, he visited a church. That Sunday morning, he gave his life to Christ. [Link]
A Spiritual Package Deal
Maturity teaches us that often we put the focus on the wrong things. When I stand before the throne of the Lord Jesus, my ministry will not be judged so much by what I have done as by what I might have done and how much I could have done. [Link]
Action-Packed Robin Hood Runs Long
Despite its 2 hours and 20 minutes running time, it's hard to look away from the well-composed images and action spectacles of Robin Hood, and from the compelling actors trying to make something interesting of characters that should have been better fleshed out. [Link]
Letters to Juliet Suffers from Serious Predictability Overload
Even with a breathtaking Italian backdrop, a nod to one of literature's favorite tragic love stories (Romeo and Juliet) and not one, but two, love stories packed into an hour and a half, Letters to Juliet is still only a notch above mediocre. [Link]
Believability Makes This Romance Just Wright
The biggest mistake someone could make after watching previews for Just Wright would be to decide that it's not for them. Or that it's tailored strictly for a minority audience. Many films with all African-American casts are, but this one is different. And better. [Link]
Out of Many One: Why America Is Losing Her Unity
Europeans are wrong to ban religious practice, but not wrong to fear the breakdown of national consensus that will come when too many citizens question the founding ideas of the society. [Link]
A Pure Heart
“May the Lord lead your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s patience.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5 The majority is not always right. If the majority had ruled, the children of Israel never would have left Egypt. They would have voted to stay in bondage. If the majority had ruled, David never would have fought Goliath. His brothers would have voted for him to stay with the sheep. What’s the point? You must listen to your own heart. God says you’re on your way to becoming a disciple when you can keep a clear head and a pure heart. [Link]
The best way to keep boys off your daughter
Dads, did you know that your daughter most likely craves physical affection from you? And if you don't give her hugs and kisses on the cheek every day and tell her you love her, she'll most likely get it from another guy her age? It's a bit unsettling, isn't it? But it's true. A study from Dr. Meg Meeker shows that girls who have that kind of affection connection with their fathers are far more likely to stay away from drugs, pre-marital sex, do better in school and be happier. So even if it feels a little weird, give her the hugs and kisses. You'll definitely want to give her a hug and kiss after you watch this!Huddle up with your daughter tonight and give her a big bear hug. [Link]
Always Write Your Plans in Pencil
Are you frustrated and perhaps even a little angry at God because your plans are falling short or disappearing altogether? [Link]
The Moral Life of Babies (and the Ideological Life of Adults)
A team of researchers believe they have documented the fact that babies do have a very clear sense of right and wrong from very early stages. [Link]
Kagan’s Just the Latest Radical Obama Lawyer
Elena Kagan’s willingness to work with a few conservatives has earned her some respect as a pragmatist. But it’s a good bet that she’d become a true leftist when safely seated. [Link]
The Tyranny of Tolerance: Is the U.S. Flag Offensive?
The two students were minding their own business when the vice principal ordered them to remove their American flag bandanas. Why? Because it was Cinco de Mayo. [Link]
Are We Adequately Preparing Our Young People for Life?
Today's generation of youth leaders are reaching young people in wonderful and innovated ways. Unprecedented resources are being thrown at Christian youth. But I hear very few messages that encourage actual maturity. [Link]
Dealing with the Sufferer in Your Life
Few of us, especially caring, concerned Christians, can resist the opportunity to help someone who is suffering. But it's important to recognize there are some individuals who, having perfected the role of victim, will never improve as long as you are there to help them… [Link]
The Single Life: Take It Outside
There's a great big beautiful world out there! Have you seen it lately? In person, I mean, not through a window or on a screen. You don't have to go on a two-week nature hike deep in uncharted wilderness to enjoy it. The beauties of nature may be closer than you think. [Link]
Hang In There
“Those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22 Are you discouraged as a parent? Hang in there. Are you pessimistic about your job? Roll up your sleeves and go at it again. No communication in your marriage? Give it one more shot . . . The Land of Promise, says Jesus, awaits those who endure. It is not just for those who make the victory laps or drink champagne. No sir. The Land of Promise is for those who simply remain to the end. [Link]
Are you ready to die?
Zac Smith's situation can't get much worse, but it's amazing how his faith is helping him absorb life's body blows. We will all be in Zac's shoes before too long. How will we react? What do we ultimately believe about the purpose of our life and death? Think of Zac and his outlook because he is you, me, all of us.Tony Dungy talks about the lessons he learned from the loss of his son, James.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: How do you think we will react when we get terrible news? [Link]
More Than a Table for Two: The Difference a Christ-centered Marriage Makes
In Then Comes Marriage?: A Cultural History of the American Family, author Rebecca Price Janney names the distinction between secular and Christian marriages. Of the Christian couple she says, "Crowning their life together is the kind of giving, empathic, other-oriented love of which Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12, what he called 'the most excellent way.'" [Link]
How to Discover Your True Identity
Self-discovery is a freedom that only leads to frustration in the end. The only way to discover who you really are is to seek a relationship with the God who made you. It's about getting in touch with The Vertical Self. [Link]
What are we Singing: I Still Believe
Jeremy Camp's song, I Still Believe, written after the death of his first wife at the age of 21, holds words Peter could have easily added to his epistle. Life is upside down, but I choose to believe, they say. [Link]
Courage and Faith
An isolated man is not a courageous man, at least not for very long. [Link]
Wealth Hoarded to the Harm of Its Owner
Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, used to say, "Your biggest strength can also be your biggest weakness." And believe it or not, this can be true of focusing on the future. You can over-do it and end up not enjoying life today. [Link]
Overcoming the Fear Factor
"God-sized" callings by definition exceed our human capabilities. So it all can seem to be just too much. We stand, shovel in hand, tempted to bury our talents and ignore our Master's mandate. [Link]
Five Steps to Living Debt-free
From time to time, we all need "refreshers" to pull us back onto the path that God has set before us. Here's a refresher we all need to practice: five simple steps to debt-free living. [Link]
The Power of the Good News
“Do the work of telling the Good News.” 2 Timothy 4:5 For every hero in the spotlight, there are dozens in the shadows. They don’t get press. They don’t draw crowds. They don’t even write books! . . . Behind a rock slide is a pebble. And a revival can begin with one sermon . . . Tomorrow’s Spurgeon might be mowing your lawn. And the hero who inspires him might be nearer than you think. He might be in your mirror. [Link]
Let's score some points at home
In many marriages, the wife, not the husband, is the initiator. She says, "Let's go to the park" or "Let's go to a romantic restaurant." Well, it's time for those tables to turn. First, read more about how to reinvent a date night with her and if you need some date night ideas, we've got you covered. Then, to keep the momentum going, introduce these marriage coupons into your relationship and let us know how it goes by posting a comment on our Facebook page!Huddle up and with your wife tonight and say: "Let's_____________." [Link]
4TROOPS: Singing for Those Who Serve
4TROOPS, a new singing group of four United States combat veterans, see their self-titled debut release this month (appropriately enough during Armed Forces Week) as they begin their mission to sing on behalf of all troops, honor their sacrifices and create awareness for their needs. [Link]
A Little Ash Goes a Long Way: Volcanoes and Hubris
Our confidence in our technological abilities is unbounded — then a minor volcano coughs and brings the modern world to a standstill. [Link]
Out of Touch with Government's First Responsibility
Our leaders in Washington seem to have lost focus on the first duty of government, which is to protect the lives and liberty of its citizens. [Link]
Who Will Be Tested Next? The Dilemma of Franklin Graham
The recent controversy about Franklin Graham is a sign of things to come. [Link]
Gibson Doesn't Excite in Dull Edge of Darkness
Did you enjoy Mel Gibson in Payback or Ransom? He's on that level in Edge of Darkness. It's a decent comeback, if those movies are your idea of a good time. But it's truncated rather than taut, sluggish rather than satisfying, and dull rather than edgy. [Link]
Daybreakers Shows Vampire Genre Still Has a Heartbeat
Daybreakers takes the vampire genre in some new directions, but it can't memorably resolve its story. With strong atmosphere and respectable performances, it jolts viewers with a few shocking moments. But the filmmakers' attempts to cater to the basest impulses of today's horror-movie audiences ultimately work against the movie. [Link]
Legion Leaves Biblical Truth Behind
Legion has elements of the first coming of Christ and an apocalypse suggesting the second coming, dressed up in all sorts of religious terminology that might make viewers who don't know any better believe they're watching a Bible-based film. But Legion is nothing of the sort. It's a mess—and it can't be saved. [Link]
God is Everywhere
“Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” Psalm 139:7-8, NIV Our asking “Where is God?” is like a fish asking “Where is water?” or a bird asking “Where is air?” God is everywhere! Equally present in Peking and Peoria. As active in the lives of Icelanders as in the lives of Texans. We cannot find a place where God is not. [Link]
Men's dirty little secret
What's the surefire way to tell if a man has looked at porn? If he's breathing. Almost all men wrestle with pornography to some degree. 40 million men in the U.S. regularly visit porn sites on the Internet. At 13.3 billion dollars, the 2006 revenues of the sex and porn industry in the U.S. are bigger than the NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball revenues combined. 60% of all website visits are sexual in nature and 50% of families say pornography is a problem in their home.So porn is rampant and influences many of our lives. But is it really harmful? The answer is yes, but to varying degrees depending on the individual. Pornography can cause a man to become very dissatisfied with his wife, leading to divorce. Porn can consume many hours that would otherwise be devoted to work, family or service to others. And, in some cases, porn can lead to a devastating sexual addiction.So to have a better life and a better family, pornography needs to be avoided. First, see firsthand how porn can devastate a family. Second, take our pornography quiz and see how much of an influence it plays in your life. Finally, check out our 10 Ways to Fight Pornography. Become one of the few honorable men who swims upstream in our culture.Huddle up with your teenage son tonight and ask: Have you ever been exposed to pornography? [Link]
Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy: Why Bonhoeffer Still Matters
After Hitler rose to power, the Nazis tried to co-opt the German church, mixing Christian truth with Nazi doctrine. While some church leaders allowed themselves to be drawn in, Bonhoeffer refused. [Link]
What Should We Pray For?
Here is a list gathered from the New Testament. [Link]
You, Too, Are an Evangelist
What is the most important command in all of the Bible for an evangelist? [Link]
Find Joy in Raising a Boy
If you have a son, you know that a boy can be both wild and sweet. You'll encounter some hair-raising challenges while raising him to become a strong man, but you'll also enjoy the many rewards of sharing adventures with your son. [Link]
The Crusader and Mr. Hyde: A Most Unhappy Couple
I watched and listened as Ken and Lori locked horns in a needless power struggle. I've talked about how to approach Mr. Hyde in previous articles. Now let's focus on a role wives often embrace: The Crusader. [Link]
How to Date Your Spouse
Dating your mate will help the two of you begin to reconnect, rekindle the romance in your relationship, and pull your marriage out of the rut it’s stuck in. But it’s not just going to happen on its own… [Link]
Five Stones
“David took [the armor] all off. He took his stick in his hand and chose five smooth stones from a stream.” 1 Samuel 17:39-40 The king tried to give David some equipment. “What do you want, boy? Shield? Sword? . . .” David had something else in mind. Five smooth stones and an ordinary leather sling. The soldiers gasped. Saul sighed. Goliath jeered. David swung. And God made his point. “Anyone who underestimates what God can do with the ordinary has rocks in his head.” [Link]
You're a great dad!
We all like encouragement right? Well, so do your kids. Do you encourage your children every day? Do you celebrate the little successes in their lives? Do you support them and their talents? That's great. But it's never too early to help them set goals and dream big. Tony Dungy's book You Can Do It! helps you do just that. Watch Tony's surprised reaction about the positive impact of his first children's book. One of Tony's reasons for writing the book was the encouragement he got from his own father. And, dads, here's a list of Phrases for Praises to help you encourage your kids today!Huddle up with your kids tonight and say: I think you are amazing because ____. [Link]
The Immigration Crisis: How Do We Begin to Solve It?
When I began thinking about this issue, I thought an easy answer would emerge—a single verse or teaching, a silver bullet to solve the problem once and for all. I was pleased to discover that the Bible goes further than I had expected to address many of the issues we face regarding immigration. [Link]
God Created
“In the beginning God created . . .” Genesis 1:1 A mighty hand went to work . . . Out of nothing came light. Out of light came day . . . Canyons were carved. Oceans were dug. Mountains erupted out of flatlands. Stars were flung. A universe sparkled. The hand behind it was mighty. He is mighty. [Link]
Let Us Wait
“The day of the Lord will come like a thief.” 2 Peter 3:10 Paul says “we are hoping for something we do not have yet, and we are waiting for it patiently” (Romans 8:25). Peter tells us: “You should live holy lives and serve God, as you wait for and look forward to the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:11-12). Hope of the future is not a license for irresponsibility in the present. Let us wait forwardly, but let us wait. [Link]
Babies is an Adorable Peek into the Minds of Infants
With no narration, subtitles and little in the way of actual cultural subtext, Babies definitely isn't your ordinary documentary. In fact, French filmmaker Thomas Balmes is content to let the audience draw its own conclusions as he beautifully captures the first year of four very different babies' lives. [Link]
Mother’s Day and Mixed Emotions
Mother's Day can bring mixed emotions. The idyllic imagery of motherhood often doesn't match up with the reality that the relationships involved are often far more complicated than we wish. If Mother's Day is bittersweet for you, here's some encouragement from God's word. [Link]
MOTHER'S DAY
MOTHER'S DAY [Link]
Forever Mother
Separation. Pulling apart. A growing need for freedom. They are healthy, important parts of becoming an independent human being. But don't let the modern culture twist that truth into a lie that says your teenagers or adult children don't need mothering. They do. [Link]
Mary: A Mother in a Class By Herself?
A study of the life and faith of this very special mother can help the rest of us find that place of assurance and fulfill God's purposes in our own lives, as well as in the lives of our children. [Link]
Jesus Gives Mercy
“Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43 A condemned criminal was sent to his death by his country. In his final moments, he asked for mercy. Had he asked for mercy from the people, it would have been denied . . . But it wasn’t to these he turned for grace. He turned instead to the bloodied form of the One who hung on the cross next to his and pleaded, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus answered by saying, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise.” [Link]
What not to do this Mother's Day
Here is a prime example of how to handle Mother's Day poorly. Instead, do something really special for your mother this year and encourage your kids to do the same for theirs. Perhaps instead of candy or flowers, it's a gift certificate to a day spa or a romantic getaway to a bed and breakfast. Go out of your way to make her feel special. She deserves it.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What's something really special we can do for Mom? http://www.allprodad.com/page.php?id=220 [Link]
Iron Man 2 Suffices as a Serviceable Sequel
There are no real high points in Iron Man 2—no standout scenes that will have audiences talking as they leave the theater—but the overall product is sufficient to satisfy audiences in search of another dose of the Iron Man franchise. If it's not a sharper Iron, neither is it a duller one. [Link]
Tooth Fairy Doesn't Offer Much to Smile About
If you think the sight of The Rock in a pink tutu and oversized sparkly wings is funny, well, Tooth Fairy is the movie for you. After all, the screenwriters get a lot of mileage out of seeing the former wrestler play a has-been hockey star forced to reveal his softer, fairy side. [Link]
Expect the Expected with Robbie Seay Band's Miracle
Robbie Seay Band's Miracle, features everything you've come to expect and not much else. In this case that's completely and totally fine, because whoever's in charge of the melodies here might just be the finest songsmith in the genre. [Link]
Nashville Begins Cleanup after '500-Year Flood'
Nashville watched the Cumberland River continue its slow return to its banks on Wednesday, giving back famous landmarks previously under water. Many homes, however, remain swamped and uninsured. [Link]
Workplace Religious Freedom Bill Finds Revived Interest
An on-again off-again bill to protect employees' religious expression in the workplace is attracting renewed attention that could lead to action on Capitol Hill in coming weeks. [Link]
The Public Consequences of Religious Apathy
Theological indifference may seem like no big deal in an age where moral relativism and the cult of the individual reign, but it's worth considering Francis Schaeffer's argument… [Link]
Leadership: Little Things Mean a Lot
Small gestures can set the tone for a leader. [Link]
Preaching with Bold Assurance: An Interview with Hershael York
Millennials have a great challenge because they are far more accustomed to communicating via texts, emails, and blogs than they are orally. The biggest mistake I see is when preachers preach like writers, concentrating more on the specific words that they want to say-–basically reading the sermon-–than on communicating with a real audience. [Link]
It’s Getting Dangerous Out There: A Preacher Is Arrested in Britain
We have seen this coming for some time now. The public space has been closing, especially when it comes to Christian speech — and especially when that speech is about homosexuality. [Link]
Should I Pray for the Job I Really Want?
A friend sent an email asking a question that many people have wondered about when facing big decisions. [Link]
Forecasting Follies
In a sense, the financial markets aren't much different than the Kentucky Derby. Consulting the collective wisdom of experts does not guarentee a "win." [Link]
Workplace Religious Freedom Bill Finds Revived Interest
An on-again off-again bill to protect employees' religious expression in the workplace is attracting renewed attention that could lead to action on Capitol Hill in coming weeks. [Link]
No More
“The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16, NIV Have you ever wondered what that command will be? It will be the inaugural word of heaven. I could very well be wrong, but I think the command that puts an end to the pains of the earth and initiates the joys of heaven will be two words: “No more.” No more loneliness. No more tears. No more death. No more sadness. No more crying. No more pain. [Link]
What is prayer anyway?
Today is the National Day of Prayer, and most people think it's good to pray, but what is prayer anyway? Chanting? Reciting something from an old hymnal? Could be. But really simply, it's talking to God from your heart. It could be on your knees by your bed or simply in your car on the way to work. Prayer is the most transformative action you can take in your life. Things happen when you pray. But as comedian Tim Hawkins notes, you better be careful what you pray.Here is one of the best prayers ever. Finally, Tony Dungy shares about something he prayed for that he did not get and how that ended up being a blessing. Huddle up with each of your children tonight and pray with them before bed. [Link]
He Said-She Said: The Desires of Your Heart
A reader asks: "It's been two years since my last relationship, and I'm still single with that same desire for marriage—only it is stronger than before. At what point will I know if this desire is from the Lord or my flesh?" Read more to see how "he" and "she" have responded. [Link]
The Gulf of Mexico and the Care of Creation
Do some environmentalists reject the dignity of humanity? Yes. Do some replace the reverence for creation with that due the Creator? Of course. This happens in the same way some do the same thing with reverence for economic profit or any other finite thing. There’s nothing conservative though, and nothing “evangelical,” about dismissing the conservation of the natural environment. [Link]
The Finance Reform Bill: Special Interests or the Common Good?
We must seek the welfare of the city—or, in this case, country—where God has placed us. We need to pray that both houses of Congress will do the right thing by the country. [Link]
Despite Controversy, National Day of Prayer's Legacy Continues
Despite recent rulings and withdrawn invitations, the 59th National Day of Prayer will move forward, carrying on a centuries-old legacy. [Link]
Mother's Day: What’s a Stepmom to Do?
One of the reasons Mother's Day can evoke so much emotion is because many stepmoms feel as though they have all of the pain, frustrations, financial strain, and difficulty of being a parent, but none of the rewards or joy. Here are some ways husbands can take the lead to make Mother's Day a special day for their wives. [Link]
Dealing with the Aggressor in Your Life
This CrazyMaker kicked up dust on the playground as a child bully and continues to do so in adult life… [Link]
Forgiving the "Other Woman"
I never considered that betrayal would enter my marriage. One question kept coming to the forefront: How could one woman do this to another? [Link]
A Sure God
“If we are not faithful, he will still be faithful, because he cannot be false to himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13 Our moods may shift, but God’s doesn’t. Our minds may change, but God’s doesn’t. Our devotion may falter, but God’s never does. Even if we are faithless, He is faithful, for He cannot betray himself. He is a sure God. [Link]
Before the Mississippi was mighty
Have you ever seen the beginning of the Mississippi River? If not, see it here. You might be surprised. You can actually walk across it. It's amazing how great and mighty things can start small. And it's the same in our lives. It's amazing how even the smallest adjustment in what we do can reap rewards far beyond our imagination. Hear from Tony Dungy on how paying attention to the little things in life can lead to big payoffs in the end.Huddle up with your family tonight and ask: What is a small adjustment can I make that will make me a better father? [Link]
Preacher's Kid Doesn't Sing
It's not that the message of Preacher's Kid (directed by Stan Foster) is bad. Its message good. But the movie's execution of this truth is where it fails miserably. The script is poor. The acting is amateurish. And the music uninspiring. [Link]
Choosing a Bible Translation
Before the year 1881, you had three choices for an English Bible translation: the KJV, the KJV, or the KJV. Obviously, this is no longer the case. How did the King James Version get dethroned? Which translation is best today? Are any of the modern translations faithful to the original? [Link]
Jennifer Knapp & Larry King: Why We Always Lose this Debate
Why is it that whenever we see a proponent of Christianity's historical view of sexuality going head to head on TV with an advocate for "gay rights," the traditional Christian almost always loses the argument? I think it has a lot to do with how the discussion is framed. [Link]
The Christian Atheist
The Christian Atheist, by recovering Christian Atheist Craig Groeschel, is an honest, hard-hitting and eye-opening look into the ways people believe in God but live as if he doesn't exist. Groeschel's own journey will immerse you and challenge you into a deeper, Christ-filled life. Read an excerpt. [Link]
Straight from The Middle: Patricia Heaton on Mother's Day
Patricia Heaton just wants to be "left alone." Not all the time, mind you. But definitely on Mother's Day—and that's whether she's playing Frankie on ABC's hit sitcom, The Middle, or at home in real life with her husband and four boys. [Link]
Please Give Offers Plenty
Anyone who has ever lived in a big city will have their heart touched and their funny bone tickled by this sober comedy, directed by Nicole Holofcener, who has become known not only for her thoughtful films, but also for her television directorial credits. [Link]
Run to Jesus
“When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot.” Psalm 34:6, THE MESSAGE Run to Jesus. Jesus wants you to go to him. He wants to become the most important person in your life, the greatest love you’ll ever know. He wants you to love him so much that there’s no room in your heart and in your life for sin. Invite him to take up residence in your heart. [Link]
Top 10 Articles of April 2010
This month's articles are all about dealing with life's hidden details. Hiding our hearts in Christ, removing the shame of unemployment, when to keep secrets from our spouses and more are discussed in this month's features. [Link]
Tame the media monster
Recently there was a fellow in Oregon who purchased one of those new-fangled televisions. Unbeknownst to him, this particular device inadvertently emitted the International Distress Signal and he soon had law enforcement banging at his front door. As amusing as this story is, as a parent you probably wish your television would emit sirens whenever something came on that could harm your children. Well, there are actually some great tools to help you navigate those troubled waters. Set a schedule and only allow your kids to watch certain, pre-approved programs at certain times. You may even want to record them so your children can fast-forward through any objectionable commercials. Here's our 10 ways to monitor media in your child's life. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What are your favorite shows and why? Why or why not? [Link]
Leap Year Has Some Classic Movie Charm
In what's basically a remake of Frank Capra's It Happened One Night set in the always-photogenic Irish countryside, Amy Adams and Matthew Goode do manage some winsome chemistry a la Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in Leap Year. [Link]
Next Door Savior
“I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. ” Philippians 3:8, RSV He was the single most significant person who ever lived . . . The head of the parade? Hardly. No one else shares the street. Who comes close? Humanity’s best and brightest fade like dime-store rubies next to him . . . A just-God Jesus could make us but not understand us. A just-man Jesus could love us but never save us. But a God-man Jesus? Near enough to touch. Strong enough to trust. [Link]
Preserve your family memories
To start gathering your family memories, arrange for a time to "interview" your subject. Your subject can be anyone from yourself (you get to be the interviewer and the interviewee), your spouse, a parent, grandparent or favorite relative. This may take a little time and effort, but don't feel that you have to do it all in one sitting! You can spread the interview out over weeks and months. Just be sure to do it!! Your kids will thank you for it.You can preserve the interview by videotaping it. Virtually every cell phone has a video camera feature. There's no need to even go out and buy expensive equipment anymore! But if you want to, there are great digital video cameras available that will allow you to make a memory with near professional results. Your family memories are a treasure and worth the investment. We've put together a free info sheet of great questions to ask. Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: When and who should we record first? [Link]
Do You Long For the Goodness of Life?
Do you wonder why godly life principles, a sense of honor and moral restraint, graciousness, and propriety are slipping away? Have you considered it might be because we have lost our sense of the fear of God? [Link]
Researchers Probe Whether, Why, 'Free Will' Exists
A four-year research project at Florida State University aims to determine whether, and how, free will exists, and whether people are really responsible for the things they do. [Link]
What I've Learned about Preaching
Preaching is as much an art as a science, and one man's method may not help someone else. My only qualification to address this topic comes from 40 years of trying to preach. [Link]
Confessional History
What's the difference between the kind of history that scholars write today and the history that we see presented in the Bible? Why do most Christians seem content with ideas about God that are disconnected from the narrative, earthy revelation of Him? [Link]
Finance Q&A: Will Canceling Credit Cards Hurt My Credit Score?
Dear Deborah: I recently received a copy of my credit report and saw that there are a lot of old credit cards that we no longer use. Should we write to the companies and cancel these credit cards? [Link]
Don't Let Your "Yes Buts" Impact Your Potential
Do you dislike your job? And, do you have a host of "yes, buts" to explain why you're still in work that doesn't fit you? [Link]
What Is Your Red Sea Calling?
Will you go to the ends of the earth to meet God? It is easy to say yes, we would give up something we haven't yet been asked to sacrifice. Or that yes, we would always be true and faithful to God when that faith hasn't been tested in a severe way. But would we? [Link]
God’s Testimony
“The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” Psalm 19:7, NKJV “God’s testimony,” wrote David, “makes wise the simple.” God’s testimony. When was the last time you witnessed it? A stroll through knee-high grass in a green meadow. An hour listening to seagulls or . . . witnessing the shafts of sunlight brighten the snow on a crisp winter dawn. Miracles happen all around us; we only have to pay attention. [Link]
The Hands of Jesus
“He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.” Job 5:18 NKJV Oh, the hands of Jesus. Hands of incarnation at his birth. Hands of liberation as he healed. Hands of inspiration as he taught. Hands of dedication as he served. And hands of salvation as he died . . . The same hand that cleansed the Temple cleanses your heart. The hand is the hand of God. [Link]
Furry Vengeance is a Shameless Attack on Good Taste
Consider yourself warned: Furry Vengeance is truly the worst movie I've screened this year. And trust me, I've already reviewed some doozies (Tooth Fairy, Cop Out and The Bounty Hunter, for starters). [Link]
Crazy Heart Tells It Like It Is
It's an old tale told a thousand times—the washed up, boozed up, aging singer, who's making his rounds at bars and music dumps, hoping for one more chance at life and love. That's Crazy Heart in a nutshell. And that's where this review would end if it were not for a stellar performance by Jeff Bridges. [Link]
When Your Spouse Doesn't Share Your Christian Faith
When Jennifer married, she didn't realize the seriousness of committing herself in marriage to a man who didn't share her faith. For more than 35 years she has been married to a man who wants "nothing to do with religion." [Link]
Prayer Is Good Policy: Why We Need a National Day of Prayer
It might be that any given politician is a hypocrite mouthing pious platitudes of false humility, but it does our princes good to be forced to bow their heads. [Link]
Kyrgyzstan's Revolution Leaves Growing Orphans in Limbo
The Kyrgyzstan revolution has thrown families in America in limbo as they wait to finalize their adoptions. If their children reach age 16 before the adoptions are finalized, it may be too late. [Link]
Forgotten Girls: Behind Prison Bars in Pakistan
"You wrote that women in Pakistan suffer. But something else is also true. Young girls are languishing in our Pakistani prisons for the crime of being victims and asking for help." [Link]
Clumsy Glaen Still Has a Good Message
Fred R. Lybrand, a retired pastor, uses the medium of fiction to offer his perspective on love and relationships in Glaen. And because he's so obvious about it, the reader can forgive the clumsy "story" and focus on the message within it. [Link]
Point of Grace Goes Country on No Changin' Us
Point of Grace has brought on producer Nathan Chapman, unleashing the Nashville machine on all 11 tracks on No Changin' Us. And from suddenly truncated verb endings to enhanced accents to pedal steel, the points have officially gone country. [Link]
Assured of Victory
“Our Lord God, the Almighty, rules. Let us rejoice and be happy.” Revelation 19:6-7 In the Book of Revelation . . . we, the soldiers are privileged a glimpse into the final battlefield. All hell breaks loose as all heaven comes forth. The two collide in the ultimate battle of good and evil. Left standing amidst the smoke and thunder is the Son of God. Jesus, born in a manger—now triumphant over Satan . . . And we, the soldiers are assured of victory. Let us march. [Link]
Bill Cosby's marital advice
Bill Cosby says, "Women don't want to hear what you think. Women want to hear what they think – in a deeper voice." Humorous for sure and probably correct in some cases. But actually, women want to hear that you have been listening. Women equate listening with caring and loving. But listening requires patience and time – two altogether rare commodities in most of us. If you really want to improve your marriage, improve your listening. Need proof that your brain and her brain don't think the same? Watch this incredibly funny video. Here are the 10 signs that you are a good listener.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask (we dare you): Do you think I do a good job listening to you? [Link]
Surfer Bethany Hamilton Inspires on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Tune in to ABC's popular Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on Sunday night, May 2, 2010, as Bethany Hamilton, a surfer made famous for losing her arm in a shark attack, makes a guest appearance and spends time with a physically challenged family. [Link]
Ruth: Sex, Race, and God's Sovereignty at Work
Ruth is a very old book. How is it relevant and helpful for life today? John Piper discusses seven reasons why this book of love, ethnicity, and God's sovereignty deserves our attention. [Link]
Grief Work
I tricked him, not so he would feel grief but so he would feel relief, which came through grieving. [Link]
Wedding Modesty: Has it Gone Out of Style?
You're not alone if you have become increasingly grieved by the immodesty of brides and bridesmaids at "Christian" weddings in recent years. Is anyone asking anymore whether or not God is glorified by what is worn and done? [Link]
Expert John Rosemond Urges a Return to Common Sense Parenting
John Rosemond, author of nearly a dozen books on parenting, calls on today's parents to return to the parenting principles of an earlier generation. [Link]
Dealing with the Egotist in Your Life
You know them by the size of their voices, the size of their accomplishments and the size of their egos. The Egotist is grandiose, arrogant and completely full of themselves… [Link]
Moms: Should You Find a Mentor for Your Daughter?
It takes a choir surrounding a soloist to really highlight her voice; in the same way, loving adults surrounding your daughter will make her life sing… [Link]
God is for You
“God is the strength of my heart.” Psalm 73:26, NKJV God is for you. Turn to the sidelines; that’s God cheering your run. Look past the finish line; that’s God applauding your steps. Listen for Him in the bleachers, shouting your name. Too tired to continue? He’ll carry you. Too discouraged to fight? He’s picking you up. God is for you. [Link]
Are You Unselfish?
What does an others-centered person look like? Larry Scandin can tell you. Actually he can show you. If each one of us reading this email reached one foster child, what might our world look like? Or, as Tony Dungy talks about, why adoption instead of foster care can be even more wonderful.Huddle up, share the video with your wife tonight and ask: would you like to explore fostering or adoption? [Link]
A Positive Life
Written for anyone who wants to appreciate life to the fullest, A Positive Life reveals nine basic yet powerful lessons for living with passionate faith and joy. Through his story of living with HIV, Shane Stanford helps readers find contentment in their own lives, no matter the circumstances. [Link]
The Walls of Jericho: Why the Golden Age of Film Ended
Thomas Doherty, author of Pre-Code Hollywood, claimed that the "most vivid and compelling motion pictures" ever made were created "under the most severe and narrow-minded censorship." Why? [Link]
Seeing Life: Evaluating Nebraska's Fetal Pain Act
A groundbreaking new law restricting abortion in Nebraska is getting a lot of attention from pro-abortion forces. And well it should. [Link]
From Megacity to “Metacity” — The Shape of the Future
If the Christian church does not learn new modes of urban ministry, we will find ourselves on the outside looking in. The Gospel of Jesus Christ must call a new generation of committed Christians into these teeming cities. As these new numbers make clear, there really is no choice. [Link]
Free to Choose What's Right in the Free Market
What's so great about the "free" market and why is it worth preserving? And if regulation isn't the answer to Wall Street's excesses, what is? [Link]
Why Bankruptcy Is Not the Answer
"If you cannot get out of your financial mess in two years, you should consider filing for personal bankruptcy." I can't tell you how much I disagree with that advice, but I can give you the top three reasons. [Link]
Reverse Mortgages: They’re At It Again
Today we're hearing more and more about something called the reverse mortgage. What is it, and where does it fall on "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" spectrum? [Link]
All Authority
“He ranks higher than everything that has been made.” Colossians 1:15 Everything? Find an exception. Peter’s mother-in-law has a fever; Jesus rebukes it. A tax needs to be paid; Jesus pays it by sending first a coin and then a fisherman’s hook into the mouth of a fish. When five thousand stomachs growl, Jesus renders a boy’s basket a bottomless buffet. Jesus exudes authority. He bats an eyelash, and nature jumps. No one argues when, at the end of his earthly life, the God-man declares, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18, NASB). [Link]
Do your kids get test anxiety?
It's a natural reaction, but there are three ways you can help them. First, make sure they're prepared. If they have an exam on Thursday, check in with them on Monday. If they're overwhelmed, break down their material into small chunks. Next, keep them relaxed. Get outside and throw the ball with them, go for ice cream or do something to make them laugh. Finally, make sure they get enough sleep the night before their test. All-nighters rarely pay off. Do you know the 10 ways to make your child smarter? Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do you get really nervous before you take a test? [Link]
The Pill Turns 50 — TIME Considers the Contraceptive Revolution
TIME magazine's current cover story puts the issue of the Pill and birth control front and center in our cultural conversation. It should be an important part of our Christian conversation as well. [Link]
Ten Things to Know about Healthy Leadership
How do we distinguish healthy from unhealthy leadership? Here are 10 places to start. [Link]
God's Word through Multiple Voices: Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah
The Bible has been the world’s bestseller not only because it discloses God and gives meaning to our lives, but also because it is good reading. One of the greatest personal discoveries for readers of the Bible is to step beyond favorite verses and stories and start comparing Scripture with Scripture. [Link]
Graduating from Hard Knock U!
Some things we learn only by experience! I never will forget the pain, but far more important, I will never forget the lessons. The memory of a broken heart can remain for a lifetime, but the things we learn in the University of Hard Knocks are good for eternity. [Link]
It's Inconceivable Just How Bad The Back-up Plan Is
Even if someone manages to suspend his/her disbelief and buys into this lamely conceived plotline, however, there's nothing about The Back-up Plan that has any resonance in the real world. Not only is the dialogue incredibly unbelievable from the get-go, but the characters are just plain kooky. [Link]
Imagination Reaches Overload in The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is so bursting with visual wonders and ideas about faith and belief that one viewing can't do it justice. With only time for one viewing, this reviewer absorbed enough, however, to understand that, despite some memorable moments, the film is a disjointed mess. [Link]
Meryl Streep Shines Once Again in It's Complicated
Between serving up a pitch-perfect portrayal of Julia Child in this summer's Julie & Julia, voicing George Clooney's wife in Fantastic Mr. Fox and proving that 50 is apparently the new 30 in the saucy rom-com It's Complicated, it's been another dazzling year in cinema for the Oscar winner. [Link]
Power of the Holy Spirit
“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” Acts 1:8, NKJV Remember the followers’ fear at the crucifixion? They ran. Scared as cats in a dog pound . . . But fast-forward forty days . . . Peter is preaching in the very precinct where Christ was arrested. Followers of Christ defy the enemies of Christ . . . As bold after the Resurrection as they were cowardly before it. Explanation? A resurrected Christ and his Holy Spirit. The courage of these men and women was forged in the fire of the empty tomb. [Link]
Your sarcasm tears up your children
According to Webster, the word "sarcasm" derives from a Greek verb that literally means "to tear flesh." Anyone who has suffered from sharp, cutting, or wounding sarcastic remarks probably wasn't surprised to learn that. You know, it's easy for fathers to be sarcastic with their kids and to unintentionally wound them deeply. The father who pokes fun at his daughter for her weight gain… or who chides his son for showing emotion… he may think it's all in good fun, but it can have devastating and long term consequences. Asking yourself the question, "Is what I'm saying ultimately building up my children?" will go a long way in curbing unnecessary jesting. Hear from Tony about substituting sarcastic comments for encouraging ones for our children. And then see a powerful clip of a coach encouraging his player to push the limits. Finally, here are ten specific compliments to give your children. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do I consistently say things to you that hurt you? [Link]
We Row
“He went into the hills to pray.” Mark 6:46 What does Jesus do while we are in the storm? You’ll love this. He prays for us . . . So where does that leave us? While Jesus is praying and we are in the storm, what are we to do? Simple. We do what the disciples did. We row . . . Much of life is spent rowing . . . Getting out of bed. Fixing lunches . . . More struggle than strut. [Link]
Tony, Tiger and a Grrrrreat Little Golfer
There's been a lot of negative talk lately about one golf prodigy, Tiger Woods, but today let's focus on another, Kyle Lograsso. What makes him unbelievably special is not his sweet swing, but his sweet spirit in overcoming a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.And Tony Dungy has some timely encouragement for Tiger Woods.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What is the hardest thing you have ever had to overcome? [Link]
Undercover at Thomas Road: An Interview with Gina Welch
Atheist Gina Welch faked a conversion experience, got baptized, and spent two years at Thomas Road Baptist Church. She even participated in evangelism on a mission trip. Her detailed journal became a best-selling book relating her journey into evangelical America. Read Trevin Wax's intriguing exchange with her here… [Link]
Legal Skirmish Colors National Day of Prayer
On Thursday (April 22), the Justice Department said it would appeal the decision, capping a week of political uproar from conservatives after Judge Barbara Crabb issued her ruling. [Link]
Does Lady Liberty Need a Mate?
The Statue of Responsibility Foundation is raising money to bookend the continental United States with a second statue on an island in the harbor of an as yet undetermined West Coast city. Why? [Link]
“The Year of Our Lord” — Diploma Trouble in Texas
A group of students at Trinity University in San Antonio is petitioning the administration to remove the words "in the year of our Lord" from the school's diplomas. [Link]
Do You Have a CrazyMaker in Your Life?
A small dose of CrazyMaking is enough to ruin an otherwise healthy relationship. In the following weeks, Dr. David Hawkins will explain the five most common types of Crazymakers and how you can effectively deal with their destructive behaviors. [Link]
Clear Up Communication Confusion in Your Marriage
When we talk so the other understands us, we can use our energy to move forward in life. Here's how Mark and Kym Wright overcome communication obstacles. [Link]
The Single Life: Swap Your Way into a New Spring Wardrobe
If shopping your own closet doesn't sound so great, why not try shopping in your friends' closets, instead? Here's how to do that and not get busted for burglary: organize a swap meet. It's fun, it's virtually free, and it's even "green." [Link]
Uncommon Use
“He gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 Heaven may have a shrine to honor God’s uncommon use of the common. It’s a place you won’t want to miss. Stroll through and see Rahab’s rope, Paul’s bucket, David’s sling, and Samson’s jawbone. Wrap your hand around the staff that split the sea and smote the rock. Sniff the ointment that soothed Jesus’ skin and lifted his heart . . . I don’t know if these items will be there. But I am sure of one thing—the people who used them will. [Link]
It’s Still True
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard.” Hebrews 2:1, NIV Stability in the storm comes not from seeking a new message but from understanding an old one. The most reliable anchor points are not recent discoveries, but are time-tested truths that have held their ground against the winds of change. Truths like: My life is not futile. My failures are not fatal. My death is not final. [Link]
In China, Aid Groups Still Hard at Work after Three Earthquakes
Earthquake relief agencies continue to perform in a humanitarian relay race that began in Haiti, continued into Chile and is now in China. [Link]
How to Do Something
God doesn't intend for you to shrink back from the needs around you; He wants to use your life to help others. In fact, God has uniquely created you to meet certain needs and is hoping you'll accept your mission. [Link]
Beth Moore Helps Women Say Goodbye to Insecurity
In Beth Moore's new book So Long, Insecurity: You've been a Bad Friend to Us, women learn ways to say "goodbye" to insecurity and "hello" to the confidence God wants you to enjoy. [Link]
Seize the Day!
Every day our lives are filled with possibilities and opportunities to advance the Kingdom of God. So how do you we "seize the day" as it says in The Message paraphrase of Luke 9:62? [Link]
The Losers Lacks Passion, and a Point
Written by Peter Berg and James Vanderbilt and based on a series of comic books, The Losers wants to pay homage to its comic roots but never gives us a reason to care about its characters or to believe this story needed a big-screen adaptation. [Link]
Jonathan Acuff: He Knows About Stuff Christians Like
He's the guy sitting next to you in the church pew—remember those?—except he's the one making the observations out loud. You know, the ones you're only thinking in your head. Now, the creator of Stuffchristianslike.net has turned his popular, satirical blog into a book of the same name. [Link]
Everything Really Is Different Now on Stellar Kart's Latest
Even though the perpetually fun fab four known as Stellar Kart still perform hyper-energetic pop/punk/rock on stage night after night, there's a maturation process at work on their fourth full-length studio recording, Everything Is Different Now. [Link]
His Public Offer
“All of us became part of Christ when we were baptized.” Romans 6:3 We owe God a perfect life. Perfect obedience to every command. Not just the command of baptism, but the commands of humility, honesty, integrity. We can’t deliver. Might as well charge us for the property of Manhattan. But Christ can and he did. His plunge into the Jordan is a picture of his plunge into our sin. His baptism announces, “Let me pay.” Your baptism responds, “You bet I will.” He publicly offers. We publicly accept. [Link]
A Committed Divorced Father
Mark, a Play of the Day e-mail subscriber, writes, "I am the father of seven wonderful children – four from a previous marriage (three boys and one girl) and three boys from my present marriage. During my 1st marriage, I would wrestle with thoughts of falling short as a father, and going through a divorce only amplified those feelings. I cried myself to sleep many nights, and after dropping off the older children at their mother's house after my times of visitation, I would not be able to go straight home and face the pain of no children to greet me. I can understand why some non-custodial fathers move away from their children – not because they do not love their children, but because of the pain and the emotional roller coaster they go through. It is their way of dealing with their pain, or should I say their way of not dealing with it. I do not agree with this action, but I can understand their motivation. In order to stay close to my children and remain involved in their lives, I turned down several promotional opportunities with my employer that would have moved me away from my children. After buying a home in the same school district as my older children and attempting to gain joint custody of my older children, my ex-wife moved to a small town 45 minutes away. At the time of this move, my older children were aged 7 – 13. Even though it was not that far away, it prevented joint custody from becoming possible and made it more difficult to see my children as often, especially their school activities…"Find out the rest of Mark's story and how to stay connected to your children. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What can I do to stay more connected with you? [Link]
Earth Day: "Amen, but…"
It's not easy being green, at least not as easy as some suggest. Many Christians find themselves in the position of being "stewards of good intentions." [Link]
Keep Your List Short
"If you want to be a Christian who makes a difference in this world, read your Bible with an eye toward making a list of those things you're willing to go to war over, and then never compromise on that list. But keep it short." [Link]
Volcanic Ash Strands Mission Groups, Adoptive Parents
Among the millions of would-be air travelers stranded worldwide by volcanic ash from the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland are 22 members of a Salvation Army mission team… [Link]
Why Ethics Matters: The SEC vs. Goldman Sachs
If the SEC's allegations are true, then at the very least we are witnessing a real breakdown in ethics—people, ordinary men and women, failing to "do the right thing." [Link]
Subsidizing Bad Behavior: Mining for Tort Reform
The tragedy of Upper Big Branch mine demonstrates the inadequacy of regulations alone, and it highlights the vital importance of our nation's civil justice system. [Link]
Re-thinking the Investment in Higher Education
The exploding costs (and related debt) associated with getting a Bachelor's degree, along with relatively fewer attractive new jobs for college grads, should prompt parents and students to reconsider whether four (or more) years of college is the best approach. [Link]
Alter Your Attitude to Change Your Circumstances
How long does it take for your attitude to plummet into the "zone of negativity"? One of the keys to living your calling — that is, doing the things God is calling you to do with your life — is learning that you are in control of your attitude. [Link]
Is Your Car Payment Holding You Back?
In order to live in financial freedom it's essential to avoid financing vehicles. Think it's impossible to cut out your car payment? It doesn't have to be… [Link]
The Good Shepherd
“I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep . . . and my sheep know me.” John 10:14-15 You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you. If you have the Shepherd, you have grace for every sin, direction for every turn, a candle for every corner, and an anchor for every storm. You have everything you need. [Link]
Do you know how to break the cycle of divorce?
If you grew up in a home impacted by divorce, does that mean you're destined for a break-up too? Absolutely not. Even though studies show that children of divorce are more likely to divorce, you can break the cycle. How? Have a mindset of lifetime commitment that you can and will work through the rough spots. Of couples who contemplate divorce but stay together, studies show they end up being much happier than those who called it quits. Here are the 10 ways to divorce-proof your marriage.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: "Can we commit to never use the "D" word?" [Link]
Sara Groves: Her Confession Continues on Fireflies and Songs
In what is Sara Groves' ninth album, the singer/songwriter takes the listener down a road of confession and relationship. After 15 years of marriage, Sara says year seven brought various challenges. Fireflies and Songs tackles those relational hurdles similar to what many couples face. [Link]
Prozac and Piety: Are We Hardwired for Faith?
Anthropologist Lionel Tiger recently described what he called "relatively friendly challenges" to religious experience from scientific research. [Link]
The Male Church Leader's Guide to Female Conflict Resolution
Just like in Paul’s day, male leaders today often find they are called to help women in the Church make peace. But, do you understand basic differences in the way men and women process conflict? [Link]
Together for What?
Compromise is bad. Cooperation is good. But how do you tell the difference? What are the doctrinal positions for which we need to contend, and what are the ones about which we can disagree with charity and love? [Link]
Singles in the Church: The Bride's Sibling Revival
Respecting our brothers and sisters in Christ takes on even greater significance when considering how we singles model the Bride of Christ through our interpersonal relationships. So, let's participate in the marriage analogy as we live out our daily lives within our communities of faith! [Link]
Should We Ever Spank our Children?
Time with CNN reports on a new study by researchers at Tulane University that indicates spanking children leads to more aggressive behavior. The analysts claim to have controlled for other variables that could account for aggressive behavior in children including alcohol abuse by the parents or violence between the parents, etc. [Link]
Do Adopted Children Have More Problems?
The world is an uproar over an adoptive family in Tennessee who put their 7-year-old boy on an unaccompanied one-way flight back to Russia. It is good to understand the issues that surround adoption because understanding brings a family to a different response, a calmer approach to handling conflict… [Link]
Back From The Dead
“Thomas said, ‘I will not believe it until I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were.’” John 20:25 Jesus gave Thomas exactly what he requested. He extended his hands one more time. And was Thomas ever surprised. He did a double take, fell flat on his face, and cried, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Jesus must have smiled. He knew he had a winner in Thomas . . . Legend has him hopping a freighter to India where they had to kill him to get him to quit talking about his friend who came back from the dead. [Link]
Purity can have a nice ring to it
The following comes from a Play of the Day subscriber: "Because of your article on the purity ring idea, my husband followed through on your suggestion to give one to our 16-year-old daughter. Wow, what an impact! He and I discussed what he would say for a few weeks, letting the ideas sink in and gel. Then on our date night, we picked out the ring together. The next night was their date night, and after the meal at the restaurant, he told her that he was making the promise to be the best dad to her and the best husband to her mother (me). He then told her that the promise he wanted from her was to save herself for her soul mate husband. As a symbol of that promise (and then he pulled out the boxed ring), he wanted her to wear this until her mate replaced it. She was blown away. She told me later that she was telling herself to not cry – she was that moved. I told her that every time she looked at the ring, to think of her husband and to say a prayer for him – that he was out there. Thank you so much for the suggestion. It was made at the perfect time, God's time, in our lives."Here's 10 ways to talk to your kids about sex. A great time to give your teenager a purity ring is during their blessing ceremony.Hear what Tony Dungy has to say about talking to teenage girls about purity.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: What do you think of this purity ring idea for our kids? [Link]
Singles in the Church: The Bride's Sibling Revival
Respecting our brothers and sisters in Christ takes on even greater significance when considering how we singles model the Bride of Christ through our interpersonal relationships. So, let's participate in the marriage analogy as we live out our daily lives within our communities of faith! [Link]
Uniquely Female: The Scriptural Blueprint for Femininity
God created woman from the side of man, so she's made of the same stuff—equal to man. But He didn't create her at the same time, place, or from dust, so she's also different. Here are six markers of complementarity that can be observed in the creation of woman. [Link]
Death Toll Nears 2,000 in China's Earthquake
The death toll from last Wednesday’s earthquake has climbed to almost 2,000 Monday, even as three survivors were pulled from the rubble. [Link]
When Adoption Fails, the Gospel is Denied
The picture of that tiny boy, sent back to a Russian orphanage, simply breaks the human heart. Of course, far more is at stake here, for Christians understand that adoption is a central metaphor of our salvation in Christ. [Link]
God Bless Glenn Beck, Our National Fool
Fools entertain us, but they educate us while we laugh. This edutainment has limited value, but sometimes foolish rulers have to be answered by fools foolishly if they are to end their folly. [Link]
O'Connor's Latest Award: An Implicit Plea to Christian Writers – Part 2
When the National Book Foundation chose Flannery O'Connor's "Selected Stories," they chose a writer whose "grotesque characters" were a reproach to a sinful society. They chose a writer and a Christian who vividly, and sometimes violently depicted man's true state, and who then pointed to his need for redemption. [Link]
Wonderful Comfort
“What a wonderful God we have . . . who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us.” 2 Corinthians 1:3, TLB Encourage those who are struggling. Don’t know what to say? Then open your Bible . . . To the grief stricken: “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Heb. 13:5 NIV) To the guilt-ridden: “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1 NIV). [Link]
Costumes, Art Direction Trump Performances in The Young Victoria
The Young Victoria is not the best film currently playing, or even a particularly good one, because the story has a split personality. But some beautiful interior shots and costuming compensate somewhat for this period piece's identity crisis. [Link]
Heartbreak Overshadowed by Special Effects in The Lovely Bones
Those hoping for glimpses of Peter Jackson's stunning foray into dream-like drama with 1994's Heavenly Creatures will be sorely disappointed in The Lovely Bones. Not only does it lack the book's emotional gravitas, but the choice of garish, Cirque du Soleil visuals end up downplaying the story's real focus. [Link]
What the government doesn't want you to know about schools
In 1966, the Coleman Report, the result of the largest social science project in history, reached a conclusion so "seismic" — Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan's description — that the U.S. government almost refused to publish it. Released quietly on the Fourth of July weekend, the report concluded that the types of homes that children come from matter much more than how much money the government gives their school. Common sense perhaps. But politically incorrect.So with that being said, if we can raise the quality of the families children come from, schools will improve dramatically. But how? Our All Pro Dad's Day program is designed to do just that. It's a monthly breakfast for fathers and children that features good food, outstanding fun and meaningful conversation between fathers and their children. So if you want to make your child's school better, become a Team Captain for us, and have your wife become an iMOM Morning Leader. Together, we can improve our educational system dramatically.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: Do you think we can do this to help our school's families? [Link]
What To Do With The Cross
“I identified myself completely with him . . . I have been crucified with Christ.” Galatians 2:19, The Message For every cunning Caiaphas there was a daring Nicodemus. For every cynical Herod there was a questioning Pilate . . . For every turncoat Judas there was a faithful John. There was something about the crucifixion that made every witness either step toward it or away from it . . . Two thousand years later, the same is true . . . We can do what we want with the cross. We can examine its history. We can study its theology . . . Yet the one thing we can’t do is walk away neutral. [Link]
Be Careful What You Pray For….
Today I asked a friend to pray for me to honestly live out the truths of grace in a tough environment. I know, I know. Be careful what you pray for because God will often answer in unexpected ways. [Link]
Subverting Leisure
Is the insidious Caesar of Leisure blinding our vision so that we no longer see the danger in spending exorbitant amounts of money and time on nonstop entertainment? Who is king of our time? [Link]
Learning to Praise on Bad Hair Days
I don't know about you, but it is often difficult for me to get over myself and sing praises to God when I am having a "bad hair" day, much less when I am treated unfairly… [Link]
Is This a Scam?
We field a lot of questions where readers want to know if something being promoted is a scam… [Link]
Eight Things To Do With a Tax Refund
Plan now for how you'll manage your tax refund, or your refund could easily evaporate. [Link]
Six Keys to Controlling Your Spending
For several years during the late 1980s, my wife Susie and I applied a rather rigorous approach to control our spending, and it worked pretty well… [Link]
Racism and Repentance: One Church's Story
When a church follows cultural instead of scriptural standards, theological troubles are certain to follow, as the conservatives at First Baptist found during segregation times. [Link]
Do you know what kind of story your kids love to hear?
Your kids love stories about them. Tell your son about the night he was born. Tell your daughter about the day she took her first steps. Talk about the funny way they used to eat cereal. Just think back to all of the cute things your children did when they were small. Then, when you're sitting at the dinner table or tucking your kids into bed, share these memories. Watch their faces light up as the spotlight shines on them.Your kids also love jokes. Tell them a few classics and some you may have never heard before here.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What is your earliest memory? [Link]
Using the Common
“When Moses reached out and took hold of the snake, it again became a stick in his hand.” Exodus 4:4 Just as Moses’ hand touched the squirmy scales of the snake, it hardened. And Moses lifted up the rod . . . The same rod he would lift up to divide the water and guide two million people through a desert. The rod that would remind Moses that if God can make a stick become a snake, then become a stick again—then perhaps he can do something with stubborn hearts and a stiff-necked people. Perhaps be he can do something with the common. [Link]
The Gospel of the Second Chance
“Go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee.” Mark 16:7, NIV If I might paraphrase the words, “Don’t stay here, go tell the disciples,” a pause, then a smile, “and especially tell Peter, that he is going before you to Galilee . . .” It’s as if all of heaven had watched Peter fall–and it’s as if all of heaven wanted to help him back up again . . . No wonder they call it the gospel of the second chance. [Link]
The Gopsel of the Second Chance
“Go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee.” Mark 16:7, NIV If I might paraphrase the words, “Don’t stay here, go tell the disciples,” a pause, then a smile, “and especially tell Peter, that he is going before you to Galilee . . .” It’s as if all of heaven had watched Peter fall–and it’s as if all of heaven wanted to help him back up again . . . No wonder they call it the gospel of the second chance. [Link]
Graphic Leaves of Grass Not for the Faint of Heart
Despite boasting a sharp and consistent wit and laugh-out-loud moments, Leaves of Grass is not for the faint of heart. Ultimately, this is a graphic morality tale about the extreme lengths people will go to for money, the consequences of greed, and the fatal ends of trying to control situations within sinful pursuits that we never really could control to begin with. [Link]
Should We Fire God? A Virginia Tech Pastor on Faith after Crisis
Where is God when bad things happen? Jim Pace, co-pastor of New Life Christian Fellowship at Virginia Tech, encountered numerous, heart-wrenching questions like this one in the months following April 16, 2007. His recently released book, Should We Fire God? is a response to the spiritual questioning many experience after tragedy strikes. [Link]
NewsNote: Aborting the “Wrong” Baby?
A doctor in the Sarasota, Florida, has lost his license because he aborted what is now described as the "wrong" baby. [Link]
Will Tea Parties Unite in Principle over Pragmatism?
The increasing desperation of the Beltway pols and Manhattan media pundits to discredit the Tea Party movement is the best possible indicator of its success thus far. [Link]
Just War and Assassinating a Terrorist
Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen, was placed on the “kill or capture” list after the White House concluded that he had gone beyond inciting attacks to actually participating in them. Should we rejoice? [Link]
Clichés Notwithstanding, The Perfect Game is Still a Hit
Based on a true story, The Perfect Game isn't exactly a revelation in the narrative department. But what eventually elevates it from your standard-issue baseball flick are its underlying themes and winning performances from the leads. [Link]
Death and Dark Comedy Collide Awkwardly in Death at a Funeral
Other than giving Luke Wilson an opportunity to star in something other than those annoying AT&T commercials, there was really no need to revisit the story of a family funeral gone seriously awry in Neil LaBute's remake of Death at a Funeral. [Link]
Sara Groves: Her Confession Continues on Fireflies and Songs
In what is Sara Groves' ninth album, the singer/songwriter takes the listener down a road of confession and relationship. After 15 years of marriage, Sara says year seven brought various challenges. Fireflies and Songs tackles those relational hurdles similar to what many couples face. [Link]
He Adopted You
“His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us.” Ephesians 1:3, TLB And you thought God adopted you because you were good-looking. You thought he needed your money or your wisdom. Sorry. God adopted you simply because he wanted to. You were in his good will and pleasure. Knowing full well the trouble you would be and the price he would pay, he signed his name next to yours and changed your name to his and took you home. Your Abba adopted you and became your Father. [Link]
12 outstanding ways to have family fun
If your family time is in a rut it seems the only thing you do together is watch TV, have we got a game plan for you! Here are twelve outstanding things to do together as a family and the coupons to go with them.Enjoy! And let us know how it goes!Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What's one fun thing we can do this weekend that we have never done before? [Link]
Nine Ways to Give Church another Chance
Have you given up on going to church, or do you attend only out of a sense of duty? A fresh look at spiritual practices could result in Giving Church another Chance. [Link]
When the Church's Enemy is the Church
Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." The longer I'm in ministry, I think he might have added, "…and the Elders and Deacons will not prevail against it." [Link]
Reasons for Decline
“Many Church Rolls Decline” declared the recent article distributed by the Religious News Service. Not exactly breaking news. According to new figures released by the National Council of Churches, most mainline Protestant denominations report continuing decline. [Link]
Love is a Choice: The Realities of Adoption
Nothing could have prepared me for the challenges I faced after bringing 2-year-old Jenny home from Russia. "Can't you send her back?" a well-meaning friend suggested… [Link]
The Power of Humility in Marriage
Dear Dr. David: I am really frustrated with my wife. She has to do things her way and won't listen to me at all. What can I do to encourage her to at least listen to me, not necessarily do everything my way? Read Dr. David's response… [Link]
When a Spender Marries a Saver
It's not just an old saying: When it comes to couples and money, opposites do attract. Relationship expert Syble Solomon offers tips to make your opposite pairing work. [Link]
The Cross
“Christ died for our sins.” I Corinthians 15:3 The cross . . . My, what a piece of wood! History has idolized it and despised it, gold-plated it and burned it, worn and trashed it. History has done everything to it but ignore it. That’s the one option the cross does not offer. No one can ignore it! [Link]
Winning back your wife's trust
College basketball coach Rick Pitino recently admitted to an extramarital affair, and publicly apologized to his family, friends and players. Pitino said "When you have a problem, if you tell the truth, your problem becomes a part of your past. If you lie, it becomes a part of your future." Sure, it was painful for him to tell the truth, and will be tough to win back the trust of his wife and family, but it would have been even more painful and agonizing to continue to live a lie.Read what Tony Dungy has to say about how to win back the trust of your wife. Then review these 14 ways to affair-proof your marriage.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: What can I do to make you feel more secure? [Link]
Pray for Russia's Orphans
Every time I see what is going on in Russia, with the government calling for an immediate halt on American adoptions, I think about the orphanage where I first met my two oldest sons. Before my mind's eye are the faces of the children we couldn't adopt… [Link]
Nuclear Deterrence in a Fallen World
Reducing the number of nuclear weapons? Yes. Fighting the spread of nuclear weapons? Yes. But taking a credible deterrent off the table in a fallen world? [Link]
The Totalitarian Century: 45 Years After Buchenwald
The world would do well to remember that the Buchenwald concentration camp was liberated only temporarily in 1945. Every generation must be prepared to meet and defeat. [Link]
Can Animals Be Gay?
The New York Times Magazine offered a photograph of bunnies on the cover of its Easter Sunday edition, but the paper was asking a rather unusual question: “Can animals be gay?” [Link]
Does God Bless Us in Proportion to Our Giving?
The truth is, the natural man doesn’t like to give his stuff away. In our basest form we want to hoard and grab. So, one of the things I enjoy sharing are some of the blessings that accompany Godly giving. But even here, we have to understand just how counter-intuitive the Christian faith really is… [Link]
Make Wise Career Moves
If you don't enjoy your job, you don't need to settle for it. Here's how you can make wise career moves. [Link]
Finance Q&A: Savings – Where Should You Start?
We all have good intentions to build up our savings. But if we don't have a written and stated purpose, oftentimes we never get started. [Link]
Space For Us
“There are many rooms in my Father’s house.” John 14:2 Jesus goes from heart to heart, asking if he might enter . . . Every so often, he is welcomed. Someone throws open the door of his or her heart and invites him to stay. And to that person Jesus gives this great promise: “In my Father’s house are many rooms.” “I have ample space for you,” he says . . . We make room for him in our hearts, and he makes room for us in his house. [Link]
Why is Tony Dungy Second?
Tony Dungy shares why he is second, and why the rest of us should be, too. Watch his brief video and let us know your thoughts.Huddle up with your children tonight and ask them: Are you second? [Link]
Bullied to Death: The Failure of Modern Moral Education
There are two issues at stake in the rise of bullying of the type that drove Phoebe Prince to hang herself that reveal the “moral quality” of the forthcoming society: the brutality of those doing the bullying and the “cowardice of noncompassion” by those who stood by and did nothing to help the victim. [Link]
Trustworthy Answers in Untrusting Times
Life is a process of seeking answers for the road ahead. But the real question is: "Where do I go to get the answers to those questions?" [Link]
Broken to Be Made Whole
A "broken spirit" and a "contrite heart" is a sacrifice. But it is required in giving ourselves to the Lord. Today, ask yourself: Am I seeking to be broken so that I made be whole? And then remember: Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us. Hallelujah! [Link]
What Do Men Think of Modesty?
How does our style of dress effect the men in our lives? I want you to hear from the guys themselves. [Link]
O'Connor's Latest Award: An Implicit Plea to Christian Writers – Part 1
Flannery O'Connor comprehended the consequences of mankind's Fall and saw the distance between what-is and what ought to be. She wrote fiction so that we could see it, too. And it can only come from Christian writers—if they're willing to step into a sometimes hostile world … that's in search of redemption. [Link]
Simple Faith in the Face of Tragedy Fuels Letters to God
"Unfortunately, Christian movies have had a bad name," says Letters to God film director David Nixon. "But we're trying to change that. We're artists who've honed our skills for many years, and we want to bring that talent that God has given us to the forefront and make really good, really quality movies." [Link]
Watson Keeps Entertaining Sherlock Holmes Chugging Along
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective has been reinvented for the Jason Bourne age. Adding to the brawn and brains is a dash of romance. But the main chemistry is between Holmes and Dr. Watson, a sidekick who just can't kick the habit of helping Holmes solve another case. [Link]
Not Yet Complete
“God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished.” Philippians 1:6 Not only are we ignorant about yesterday, we are ignorant about tomorrow. Dare we judge a book while chapters are yet unwritten? . . . How can you dismiss a soul until God’s work is complete? Be careful! The Peter who denies Jesus at tonight’s fire may proclaim him with fire at tomorrow’s Pentecost . . . A stammering shepherd in this generation may be the mighty Moses of the next. [Link]
Phil Mickelson's greatest shot
Whatever your thoughts may be about Phil Mickelson, what he did Sunday at the Masters was truly remarkable. Not only did he win the tournament, but he dedicated it to his wife, Amy, who has been fighting breast cancer. It's been a tumultuous year for Phil (who suspended play last year to be with Amy) and his family as he shares at the green jacket ceremony. His decision to put his family first has paid rich dividends on and off the course.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you know how much I love you? [Link]
Unemployed and Embarrassed
For many Christians, being unemployed is just embarrassing. We may have told people we believe God will bless us and provide a job. But He hasn't… yet. [Link]
Leading on Empty
If you're a church or ministry leader, at times you've probably been depleted of energy and longing to escape the pressure. In Leading on Empty, Wayne Cordeiro candidly shares his experience with the hope that it will encourage others headed down the same path. [Link]
Josh McDowell on Defending the Bible
"The best defense of Christianity is a clear, simple presentation of the gospel that is culturally relevant, in the power of the Holy Spirit, backed up by a lifestyle and calling for a decision." –Josh McDowell [Link]
Cremation and a New Kind of Christianity
Diarmaid MacCulloch's massive tome, "Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years" concludes with a chapter on culture wars in which he notes a controversy that should come as a surprise to most Americans… (Read more) [Link]
Should I Tell My Spouse?
Honesty is crucial to a healthy marriage. But should we tell our spouses everything? [Link]
Parent with the Real World in Mind
There's no magic formula you can use to make sure that your kids fare well in this fallen world. What matters most is for your kids to see you living for Jesus in a real way. [Link]
Waiting on God to Fill the Cradle
“Do you have children?” It seems as though the frequency of the question should numb the sting – but it doesn’t. Here are four specific areas where my husband and I have dug deep to find treasure in this painful season of waiting… [Link]
Nothing To Fear
“He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead.” Matthew 28:6, NLT The crucifixion was marked by sudden darkness, silent angels, and mocking soldiers. At the empty tomb the soldiers are silent, an angel speaks, and light erupts like Vesuvius. The one who was dead is said to be alive, and the soldiers, who are alive, look as if they are dead. The women can tell something is up . . . The angel informs them: “He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead.” Heaven unplugged the grave’s power cord, and you and I have nothing to fear. Death is disabled. [Link]
Is your marriage stressed?
You've heard the one about the old man who was dying? He smelled cherry pie baking, so he roused himself from bed and staggered into the kitchen. He was reaching for the pie when his wife swatted his wrist away. "No!" she barked. "That's for your funeral."If it seems that you and your wife are constantly at odds, you are not alone. But there are some keys to reducing marriage conflict and stress. Here are 10 things to do to help your marriage feel less stressed.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: What is one area that we struggle with that we can compromise on right now? [Link]
Hang On To God
“Those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:13 In Portuguese, a person who has the ability to hang in and not give up has garra. Garra means “claws.” What imagery! A person with garra has claws which burrow in the side of the cliff and keep him from falling. So do the saved. They may get close to the edge, they may even stumble and slide. But they will dig their nails into the rock of God and hang on. [Link]
We Trust Him
“God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them.” Luke 18:7 When we come to God, we make requests; we don’t make demands. We come with high hopes and a humble heart. We state what we want, but we pray for what is right. And if God gives us the prison of Rome instead of the mission of Spain, we accept it because we know “God will always give what is right to his people.” We go to him. We bow before him, and we trust in him. [Link]
Letters to God Something to Write Home About
Letters to God might not be the most cinematic film viewers will see this year, but it's a faith-affirming story competently told. Viewers tired of having their beliefs assaulted whenever they watch a movie will take comfort in this production, which, for a change, affirms what they believe and demonstrates the power of their shared faith. [Link]
Hidden in Him
When life throws a hardship our way, we often have very little control over the circumstance, but we do have control over our response to the situation. Here are some practical ways to hide our hearts in the Lord when turmoil surrounds us. [Link]
The Millennial Generation: Do They Know What They Believe?
Young evangelicals believe in absolute right and wrong, and they believe that God exists. But they're not applying these basic beliefs in a sound way. [Link]
How to Help the Poor
Most Christians today acknowledge that caring for the poor is a biblical requisite. The primary debate is how to best fulfill this mandate… [Link]
The Bad News of Intelligent Design
Few phrases in recent memory have provoked as much comment, criticism and derision as “intelligent design”… [Link]
Even Comedy's Own Dynamic Duo Can't Save Date Night
Somehow in the midst of bad writing and a hackneyed case of missing identity that grows increasingly sillier as Date Night goes on, Steve Carell and Tina Fey still shine as two suburbanites trying to keep their marital spark alive with a little night-on-the-town spontaneity. [Link]
Moral Lessons Lacking in Well-Acted Runaways
If The Runaways is nothing we haven't seen before in terms of its story arc, it's also notable for strong performances from Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning and Michael Shannon. However, the debauchery and hedonism on display make the film difficult to watch. [Link]
Pieces of a Real Heart Should Quell the Questioning
After nearly a decade in the industry, Sanctus Real might wonder if it still has a relevant foothold in popular Christian music. The honest lyrical and musical charm of Pieces of a Real Heart should quell the questioning. [Link]
A Righteous Man
“Surely this was a righteous man.” Luke 23:47, NIV All the Roman centurion did was see Jesus suffer. He never heard him preach or saw him heal or followed him through the crowds. He never witnessed him still the wind; he only witnessed the way he died. But that was all it took to cause this weather-worn soldier to take a giant step in faith. “Surely this was a righteous man . . .” Anybody can preach a sermon on a mount surrounded by daisies. But only one with a gut full of faith can live a sermon on a mountain of pain. [Link]
Is your marriage ready for a check-up?
This check-up works best when both partners take it separately, and then compare answers. The goal is to pinpoint problem areas, praise positive areas, and increase communication. So take it with your spouse this weekend. Here are some questions to start:Rate your marriage on a scale of 1 – 10, with 10 being best.What is your marriage's weak spot?On a scale of 1 – 10, how committed are you to making your marriage last?What are you willing to change to make your marriage better? Fill in the blank:I wish we had more time to _________.I love it when my spouse ___________.The thing we argue about the most is ____________.Take the full marriage checkup. Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: How do you think our marriage is doing? [Link]
Uniquely Male: The Scriptural Blueprint for Masculinity
God could have made male and female at the exact same time and in the exact same way. But the fact is, He didn't. The blueprint in Genesis 2 displays twelve markers that show how male and female roles are complementary, but not identical. [Link]
I Choose Forgiveness
Think of the crowd of people on the broad road through life, carrying their sin with them–all of God's wrath for all the selfish, prideful things; all the good left undone; and all of the indifference to God. What a blessing to know the forgiveness of sins in God! [Link]
What Happens When We Sing in Worship?
Some Christians think music supersedes the Word. Others think that music undermines the Word. But God Himself wants them together. Why does God command us not only to praise Him, but to sing praises to Him? [Link]
How to Break the Religious Rules Without Breaking Yourself
Ask yourself honestly if your allegiance is to moralism – simply good moral habits and churchy routines – or if it's directly to God. [Link]
The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women
For the Christian woman, "power" is not about chipping our way to the top of Forbes list. It's all about the gospel. [Link]
What Do I Do With My Tax Refund?
It's that time of year when all that "free" money starts rolling in. But if you have debt, it is not mad money. It is an opportunity to pay what you owe… [Link]
Preparing For Your Interview "Test"
Did you know that you can anticipate — and be prepared to answer — most questions you will be asked in an interview? [Link]
No Matter What
“Nothing above us, nothing below us, not anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:39 No matter what you do, no matter how far you fall, no matter how ugly you become, God has a relentless, undying, unfathomable, unquenchable love from which you cannot be separated. Ever! [Link]
Why family meals matter
Eating a meal with your children is more than just ingesting calories. It's one of the best ways to bond with them as this clip shows. If you don't already, schedule your family meals months in advance and have a quantifiable goal of how many times a week you all will eat together. Studies like the one Columbia University released show that children in families who consistently eat together are much less likely to drink, do drugs or get pregnant. So what are you waiting for? Why not start tonight? And here are some great conversations to have while eating. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: I would like to make your favorite food for dinner. What do you like best? [Link]
Nicholas Sparks: The Spark Behind The Last Song
His stories of love and loss have connected with millions, but what inspires him? In a one-on-one interview, author Nicholas Sparks talks about faith, hope and love and how that figures into his latest novel-turned-movie, The Last Song. [Link]
Who Are "The Poor?"
Last week I wrote how Israel’s neglect of the poor was a central offense against God that led to their Babylonian exile and that we, too, have neglected those in need in our own times. This neglect, I argued, has led to increased government intervention. However, we need to go further by asking, “Who are the poor among us?” [Link]
10 Minutes with N.T. Wright on "Why Christian Character Matters"
N.T. Wright's latest book is less a polemic in support of a more strident legalism or a treatise on "cheap grace." Rather, Wright argues that the idea of virtue — moral strength — is the best way forward through our troubled times. [Link]
The Three W's: Questions to Ask When Entering Ministry
New to ministry, this pastor learned to ask three very important questions… [Link]
The Men in Christ's Life: The Healing of a Demon-Possessed Man
Just like with the healing of the demon-possessed man, I too have been on a journey of healing. This man was healed, allowing rest from being possessed and ultimately receiving a new perspective of his life, including a new direction. This man has taught me many things. [Link]
Do You Feel Lonely in Your Spiritual Walk?
Have you dreamed of what it would be like to be "spiritually one" with your husband? Today, studies show that women walk alone spiritually perhaps more than they ever have before. [Link]
What Are Your Kids Thinking?
The other night while putting my eleven-year-old man-of-few-words to bed, I asked him, "How's your life going, bud?" What followed was an eye-opening conversation… [Link]
Christ In You
“No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.” John 3:5, NLT When you believe in Christ, Christ works a miracle in you. “When you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:13, NLT). You are permanently purified and empowered by God himself. The message of Jesus to the religious person is simple: It’s not what you do. It’s what I do. I have moved in. And in time you can say with Paul, “I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20, NLT). [Link]
Does your child want to quit playing sports?
It might be OK. Many children want to quit playing because they're simply not interested anymore. The main reason kids play sports is to have fun and be with their friends. Winning isn't as big a priority for them. Parents should support them, encourage personal growth, and not unrealistically compare them to professional athletes when they do play. And when they decide to hang up their cleats and go do something else, it might be best, but only under the right circumstances.Here are 10 things to consider before you let your children quit.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What is your favorite sport to play? [Link]
Top 10 Articles of March 2010
Happy spring! Check out our most popular articles of the new season, including a trip into Wonderland, the beginning of Holy Week, and an apparently missing verse of the Bible. [Link]
Evangelical Left Twists the Gospel in 'Social Justice' Fervor
Glenn Beck stirred up a hornet's nest with his now famous equation of "social justice" with socialism. But the whole discussion is confused because people don't recognize the difference between law and gospel… [Link]
Render Unto Caesar? On Paying Taxes After Obamacare
Should Christians defy the government and refuse to pay taxes if some involvement in abortion is almost certain? The answer to that question reaches far beyond the issue of abortion — and far beyond the question of taxation. [Link]
Seismic Reform? The California Corrections Crisis
Circumstances are forcing California—like many other states—to rethink the way it handles prisons and prisoners. The change has been a long time coming, and Californians are paying a high price for the delay. [Link]
The Last Song Has a Familiar Refrain
The Last Song, written for the screen by novelist Nicholas Sparks and starring Miley Cyrus, is treacly, preposterous and full of clichés. It's also moving and, for the most part, family-friendly, focusing on themes of human failure and forgiveness. [Link]
Words Speak Louder in Rene Gutteridge's Listen
On the surface, Marlo seems an ideal town in which to live. But a mystery is brewing, causing tensions to rise and pitting neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend. An unknown someone is quoting whole conversations between townspeople, posting them on a Web site for anyone to read. [Link]
Fireflight Evolves Stylistically, Musically on For Those Who Wait
For its third CD, Fireflight left the runway with the goal of evolving stylistically and musically, and as the results on For Those Who Wait indicate, that mission was mostly accomplished. The female-fronted troupe seems to have rallied the confidence it lacked across earlier albums. [Link]
The Open Door
“We are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place . . . We can enter through . . . the curtain—Christ’s body.” Hebrews 10:19-20 To the original readers, those last four words were explosive: “the curtain—Christ’s body.” According to the writer, the curtain equals Jesus. Hence, whatever happened to the flesh of Jesus happened to the curtain. What happened to his flesh? It was torn. Torn by the whips, torn by the thorns. Torn by the weight of the cross and the point of the nails. But in the horror of his torn flesh, we find the splendor of the open door . . . We are welcome to enter into God’s presence—any day, any time. [Link]
Calling 911 for homework help?
Check out this real 911 call from a child seeking homework help. Then, when you have finished laughing, reflect on what you can do to help your children excel in their schoolwork with our 10 Ways to Help Your Children with Their Homework.Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: Is there anything I can do to better help you with your homework? [Link]
Realities of the Resurrected: A Post-Easter Reflection
I've watched several Easters and Good Fridays play out around me. Engagements and babies followed or preceded by cancer, infidelity, or financial hardship. Most of life is like this. How do we deal with this reality? [Link]
Ask for Fruit
“The Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience.” Galatians 5:22 Have you asked God to give you some fruit? Well I did once, but . . . But what? Did you, ahem, grow impatient? Ask him again and again. He won’t grow impatient with your pleading, and you will receive patience in your praying. And while you’re praying, ask for understanding. “Patient people have great understanding” (Prov. 14:29). Could it be your impatience stems from a lack of understanding? Mine has. [Link]
Television invades Bhutan
On a recent television series put on by FrontLine, reporters tracked the introduction of television into one of the world's most isolated countries – Bhutan. A few months later, a government official declared: "There are so many things our people desire now that they did not know before television." Greed, perhaps more than sex or violence, can be fueled by many TV shows and commercials. So how do we counteract it? First, we need to set limits on the time and type of TV shows our children watch. Check out our Screen Time Tracker. Second, we have to teach them about the rare jewel of contentment. See what Tony Dungy says about teaching your children to be content.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight – What is something that you really wanted in the past that you did not get and now you don't really care about? [Link]
Not to Worry… Christ is Risen!
Three "Ds" lie at the root of almost every worry I suffer: darkness, the devil, and death. Jesus overcame them all that first Easter morning. [Link]
EASTER
EASTER [Link]
The Empty Cross, The Empty Tomb
Although we talk about the death of Jesus often, for some reason we have tended to only mention the resurrection at Easter time. It's time to redress the balance a bit and talk more about Jesus' death AND resurrection. [Link]
Jesus Isn’t Ashamed of You
Jesus’ first words as a resurrected man weren’t the cerebral doctrinal formulations some of us like, or the practical "life tips" others of us prefer. He wasn’t even denouncing His enemies. Instead, His first words were about getting a message to his brothers in hiding, who were at that very moment sniveling in exile… (read more) [Link]
Is Christ Alive in Our Lives: An Easter Reflection
Does Christ's Life, Death, and Resurrection really mean as much to our daily lives as it does to our religious lives as Christians? [Link]
Is It Right For Us To Pay Taxes to Caesar Or Not?
Caesar has no power except that given to him by God. The fact that Caesar doesn’t know that doesn’t change things. [Link]
Financial Follies of the Young
Here are two financial insights I wish someone had shared with me when I was younger. [Link]
Career Planning: Essential Life Skill for the 21st Century
Most people spend more time planning their vacations than their careers and lives. How about you? How much time and energy have you invested in figuring out what type of work best uses your skills and interests? [Link]
You Need A Savior
“If the Son makes you free, you will be truly free.” John 8:36 Trying to make it to heaven on our own goodness is like trying to get to the moon on a moon beam; nice idea, but try it and see what happens. Listen. Quit trying to quench your own guilt. You can’t do it. There’s no way. Not with a bottle of whiskey or perfect Sunday school attendance. Sorry. I don’t care how bad you are. You can’t be bad enough to forget it. And I don’t care how good you are. You can’t be good enough to overcome it. You need a Savior. [Link]
Preparing a Place
“There are many rooms in my Father’s house; I would not tell you this if it were not true.” John 14:2 “It is finished!” he cried. And the great Creator went home. (He’s not resting, though. Word has it that his tireless hands are preparing a city so glorious even the angels get goose bumps upon seeing it. Considering what he has done so far, that is one creation I plan to see.) [Link]
Why Blood Shocks
Ultra-modern blood tests and pre-modern vampire myths get at something the Christian Scriptures already tell us about reality: The life is in the blood. The bloodiness of our age is not an anomaly. [Link]
GOOD FRIDAY
GOOD FRIDAY [Link]
Nicholas Sparks: The Spark Behind The Last Song
His stories of love and loss have connected with millions, but what inspires him? In a one-on-one interview, author Nicholas Sparks talks about faith, hope and love and how that figures into his latest novel-turned-movie, The Last Song. [Link]
Futile Clash Leaves Titanic Sense of Disappointment
The ads for Clash of the Titans suggest epic entertainment, superb special effects and the catch phrase of the year so far—"Release the Kraken!"—but there's nothing epic about Titans other than the sense of disappointment it leaves in viewers. [Link]
All Star United's Jolt Still Enjoyable on The Good Album
All Star United is not washed up by any means, but more like a slightly dulled version of its previous self—which, given its high-octane approach on the whole, is still able to provide an enjoyable jolt of energy, attitude and encouragement. [Link]
Simple Ways
“He had no special beauty of form to make us notice him.” Isaiah 53:2 Drop-dead smile? Steal-your-breath-physique? No. Heads didn’t turn when Jesus passed. If he was anything like his peers, he had a broad peasant’s face, dark olive skin, short curly hair, and a prominent nose. He stood five feet one inch tall and weighed around 110 pounds. Hardly worthy of a GQ cover . . . Are your looks run-of-the-mill and your ways simple? So were his. He’s been there. [Link]
They follow in our footsteps
Watch this video and reflect on the truth that our children will follow in our footsteps. Are you modeling the right kind of life for them? There are no do-over's in fathering. Live the life you want your kids to imitate.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: If there was one thing you would change about me, what would it be? [Link]
The Centrality of the Cross
This is Holy Week: a week that, 2000 years ago, began in joy as Jesus was received as a king and carried into Jerusalem on a donkey; a week that ended in sorrow as he was carried as a corpse to a rich man’s tomb. The centrality of the Cross during this time signifies that, in everything, the Cross is central. [Link]
Power in the Holes
Perhaps you have an emotional hole from divorce, the loss of a child, abuse, addiction, or depression. As Jesus hung on the cross, He became well acquainted with holes… [Link]
What is Truth?
Pilate tried to wash his hands but the stain remains. Not to decide is to decide. [Link]
What Every Christian Needs to Know About Passover
As many prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, knowing the cultural Jewish soil on which Jesus walked is important to a mature and growing Christian faith. Here are a few steps for help along the Passover journey. [Link]
Remembering Terri Schiavo: 5 Years Later, Bigotry Continues
Today marks the five-year anniversary of the death of my sister, Terri Schiavo. I wish I could say things have changed for the better since then, the rights of the brain-injured, elderly and others are still being violated. [Link]
NewsNote: “Evil Exists” — Terror in Moscow
The terror attacks in Moscow may or may not be a harbinger of more to come. They also remind us that evil is far closer to us than we often allow ourselves to remember. [Link]
How Christian Were the Founders? Madison and Jefferson
Incorrect and misleading information about our nation's founders is plentiful. We have to carefully consider the context of the founders' writings… [Link]
Sexual Intimacy Begins With the Heart
For many women — and men — sexual connection is dependent upon emotional connection… [Link]
He Said-She Said: Dating Later in Life
Does age really matter when it comes to relationships? Should it? And do men still seek after women who "play hard to get"? See how "he" and "she" have addressed these issues in this edition of "He Said-She Said." [Link]
Holy Week: Should Your Family Participate in a Passion Play?
The memories of participating in a Passion Play at our church has left a deep imprint on not only my life but also the life of my oldest daughter… [Link]
God’s Joy
“I have said these things to you that my joy may be in you.” John 15:11 RSV Think about God’s joy. What can cloud it? What can quench it? . . . Is God ever in a bad mood because of bad weather? Does God get ruffled over long lines or traffic jams? Does God ever refuse to rotate the earth because his feelings are hurt? No. His is a joy which consequences cannot quench. His is a peace which circumstances cannot steal. [Link]
Tim Tebow – already a champion
The NFL draft is just around the corner and many are speculating on where former University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow will be drafted. Some "experts" have Tim going in the first round, while others put him down much further. However it turns out, Tim is already a champion. Here is one reason why. And Tim is not the only quarterback champion headed to the NFL. Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy also seem to have the "right stuff." Watch the NFL draft with your kids to see where these stars will head and talk about what makes a true champion.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What does a champion on and off the field look like? [Link]
Faithful to the End: The Women at the Cross
The women didn't run away from the crucifixion. Was it because they were braver or more committed than the men who had followed Jesus? [Link]
HOLY WEEK
HOLY WEEK [Link]
The Truth of the Cross
If it is true that the cross is of central importance to biblical Christianity, it seems that it is essential for Christians to have some understanding of its meaning in biblical terms. That would be true in any generation, but it's particularly necessary in this one. [Link]
15 Ways to Observe Holy Week with Your Family
The week preceding Easter is the most important week on the Christian calendar. So how can you honor this special time with your entire family? Barbara Curtis, mom of 12, offers some traditions that provide vivid impressions which parents can build on year after year… [Link]
The Road to the Risen Lord
This Sunday, Christians all over the world will celebrate the risen Christ. Where death reigned, life now reigns supreme. Where darkness and despair choked the light of life now light and hope give new meaning to life. Jesus Christ lives and because He lives, the future is filled with the promise of life everlasting for all who believe. [Link]
What to do When You’re Out of Options
A friend of mine was laid off just before his wife had twins. They were born pre-maturely and needed a lot of extra care. He got word yesterday his father who had been at the same company for thirty-nine years and eleven months was laid off just before he was eligible for his forty-year retirement benefits. That hurts to say the least. We all have friends who’ve lost their jobs in recent months. Perhaps you’re one of them. [Link]
College Degrees: Useless in the Job Market?
Collegegrad.com reports that 80% of the 2009 college graduates moved back in with their parents upon graduating last year — most without jobs of any kind. [Link]
Danger! Don't Build on a Weak Foundation
Consider the differences between contemporary society's prevailing attitudes toward life, work, and investing in contrast with the historical biblical view of these same areas. [Link]
On Behalf Of Jesus
“This man has done nothing wrong.” Luke 23:41 Finally someone is defending Jesus. Peter fled. The disciples hid. The Jews accused. Pilate washed his hands. Many could have spoken on behalf of Jesus, but none did. Until now. Kind words from the lips of a thief. He makes his request. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). The Savior turns his heavy head toward the prodigal child and promises, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). [Link]
Pepsi goes one step too far
Even some soft drink companies aren't family-friendly anymore. A few months ago, PepsiCo Inc. decided to release an Apple iPhone application for its Amp Energy drink to appeal to guys out on the prowl. The app, called Amp Up Before You Score, purports to help men pick up any one of 24 types of women, such as the "Sorority Girl," "Cougar," "Rebound Girl" or "Punk Rock Girl." Users can choose the type of woman they have their eye on, and then get coached on facts that might be useful, such as computing a carbon footprint to impress "the Treehugger."Suggested pick-up lines can be risqué. The app then takes the coaching a step further, encouraging users who "score" to post details such as name, date and comments, for their pals via Facebook and Twitter. Disgusting.This is just another example of a culture swimming in a sea of immorality. Your kids only chance to stay on the straight and narrow? Your involvement. Talk to your older kids about the true meaning of sex and how and who it should be reserved for – To start, you need to better understand the culture of "hooking up." Huddle up with your teen tonight and ask them: What do you think of people who hook up? Is it OK or wrong? [Link]
Easter: Living Life in the Future Tense
Death puts us in the past tense; the Resurrection puts us in the future tense. [Link]
TV Experiment Shows the Bentness of Human Nature
A now-infamous series of experiments revealed how seemingly ordinary men could carry out the demonic orders of the Third Reich. Recently, a French documentary updated the experiment. [Link]
Faith, Family and Forgiveness Play the Accompaniment for The Last Song
"There are a lot of themes in The Last Song," author/ screenwriter Nicholas Sparks says of the latest film adapted from his work. "You've got faith, forgiveness, family … themes that touch viewers because they recognize them in their own lives." [Link]
Starfield Crosses Worship and Pop, Faith and Doubt in Saving One
Canadian born and bred rock quartet Starfield continues its association of worship with pop/rock in its fourth release, The Saving One, while acknowledging the Christian walk's split reality between faith and doubt. [Link]
He Is Our Peace
“He himself is our peace . . . and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” Ephesians 2:14, NIV We are guilty and He is innocent. We are filthy and He is pure. We are wrong and He is right. He is not on that cross for His sins. He is there for ours. [Link]
Stepfathering is tough
Stepfamily relationships are often ambiguous, but there are several ways in which stepfathers can help in bonding with their stepkids. First and foremost, love your wife. All children (biological or not) need to see a strong commitment between the husband and wife. You both need to present a unified front to the stepkids that states "we are in this together." Also, keep your expectations in check. Unrealistic expectations will only feed your frustration. Instead, keep your focus on patience and open communication. Don't expect 'love at first sight' reactions from your stepchildren. If it is hard for you to discern your new place in a family, imagine what it is like for the children! Finally, a gray area that stepfathers face is the area of discipline. In the beginning, don't. Your biggest challenge as a stepfather is forcing yourself to step back from the disciplinarian role and letting your wife, their biological mother, have control. As hard as that can be, it is important to a healthy relationship with your stepchildren. Keep your focus on building a friendship and mutual respect with them first.Here are 5 ways to ease the tension of stepfathering. Huddle up and ask your stepchildren tonight: What's one thing I can do to improve our relationship? [Link]
Why I Support Universal Health Care
No human created in God's image should be denied basic health care. This is easy for a Christian. What is hard is the detail. [Link]
A Roommate is a Roommate? Coming Soon to a Campus Near You
Kayla Eland and Lindon Pronto are roommates at Pitzer College in California. They, along with students at a growing number of colleges and universities, are pioneering a new trend — coed roommates. [Link]
Faith, Family and Forgiveness Play the Accompaniment for The Last Song
"There are a lot of themes in The Last Song," author/ screenwriter Nicholas Sparks says of the latest film adapted from his work. "You've got faith, forgiveness, family … themes that touch viewers because they recognize them in their own lives." [Link]
How to Train Your Dragon is a Fun, Feisty Ride
Considering its intricately crafted animation and heartwarming story, you'd think How to Train Your Dragon was Pixar's latest flick. But it is a DreamWorks project, and it's refreshing to see a movie that doesn't rely on a slew of pop culture references and lowbrow humor to entertain. [Link]
Coins for the Kingdom: The Mystery of the Cross
From the beginning, Christ's followers celebrated the cross as a symbol of their faith. It was honored in church worship, carved into rough tombstones, pressed onto loaves of bread and set out as a sign of sanctuary. The cross represented what Christians believed, who they hoped for and how they approached life. Here, author Judith Couchman explores early images of the cross, what they meant to the early church, and what they tell about the meaning of the Savior’s sacrifice. [Link]
The Grit and Glory of Holy Week
Trying to image the Christmas story, all I get is a crèche and the smell of hay mingled with baby powder. By contrast, the sensations of Passion Week are so close at hand that they make me cringe. [Link]
Make Every Opportunity a Defining Moment
You don't have to be an athlete on an international stage. You don't need to train your whole life for that one moment in time. The event doesn't have to be something where others will even notice or want to write about. We are presented with opportunities throughout our life to change, grow and impact others. [Link]
Sharing Christ with Your Community
Moving from an apartment to a home of our own, we basked in the newness of our house, the neighbors, the lawn to mow. Everything was great… until we began looking for neighborhood Christians to befriend. [Link]
What's the Point of Prom?
Should a school district be sponsoring an event that, at the very least, is a gateway to a night in which anything goes? [Link]
Are You Remarried? Stepfamily Myths and Expectations
Whether through divorce or the passing of a spouse, remarriage and the blended family are one of the fastest growing family groups in the United States, even within the church. [Link]
How to Build a Healthy Relationship with Your Teen
Do you want to become your child's best friend? Of course you do! Unfortunately, prioritizing friendship over parental authority will actually weaken your relationship with your teen. Here's how you can strike a balance. [Link]
Such Love
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34, NIV How Jesus, with a body wracked with pain, eyes blinded by his own blood, and lungs yearning for air, could speak on behalf of some heartless thugs is beyond my comprehension. Never, never have I seen such love. If ever a person deserved a shot at revenge, Jesus did. But he didn’t take it. Instead he died for them. How could he do it? I don’t know. But I do know that all of a sudden my wounds seem very painless. My grudges and hard feelings are suddenly childish. [Link]
Are you and your kids others-centered?
Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian pastor sent to a Russian labor camp for nine years, learned a little something about being others-centered. He relates it in the following story: "Suppose you and another man are both about to have a baby and one of those babies will be a special-needs baby, and you get to choose… you can either have the healthy or sick child. Which would you choose?"Being others-centered does not come naturally. It must be learned. And if it is not taught as a child, it becomes almost impossible to retrain a selfish adult. Hear from Tony Dungy about how to teach your children not to be selfish. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Who is the kindest person you know? How do you think they got that way? [Link]
Palm Sunday: Coming Face-to-Face With A Fallen World
Four days beyond the pageantry, Jesus was in Gethsemane, and five days later he was on the cross. We come face-to-face with the fickle human spirit as we ask, "How could Jesus be both celebrated and condemned within a five-day period?" [Link]
A Tree That Will Never Fall
“God is strong and can help you not to fall.” Jude 24 Can God really keep you from falling? To answer that, go to a . . . tree on a barren hill. A tree older than time. A tree that covers the mistakes of your past and the problems of your future. Be assured—that tree will never fall. [Link]
Three O’Clock
“At noon the whole country was covered with darkness, which lasted for three hours.” Matthew 27:45 TEV Of course the sky is dark; people are killing the Light of the World . . . The sky weeps. And a lamb bleats. Remember the time of the scream? “At about three o’clock Jesus cried out.” Three o’clock in the afternoon, the hour of the temple sacrifice. Less than a mile to the east, a finely clothed priest leads a lamb to the slaughter, unaware that his work is futile. Heaven is not looking at the lamb of man but at “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, RSV). [Link]
Actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley Finds Inspiration in Amish Grace
How would you react if one of your children was murdered? How easily would forgiveness come? Kimberly Williams-Paisley, star of Lifetime Movie Network’s original film Amish Grace, faced those very questions as she inhabited the role of a grieving mother. [Link]
When You're Weary of Worshiping Alone
For years, Debe longed to have Randy worshiping alongside her. Her heart ached for her husband to experience what she did through the music and the message at church… [Link]
God Gets His Healthcare Bill
After eight years of scourging George W. Bush every time he confessed he prayed, at long last, there is room for Jesus in the inn. That is, so long as the Savior "supports" a certain agenda. [Link]
In Haiti, Faith and Churches Continue to Sprout
Ten weeks after the Jan. 12 earthquake hit Haiti, Baptist leaders in the hurting nation see an openness to the Gospel unseen before, spawning a renewed urgency to their task. [Link]
The Charade of the Pro-Life Executive Order
Even if the President intends to stand by his agreement, this does not bind his successors, the courts, or, for that, matter, the pro-abortion activists in his own party. [Link]
Mutiny Should be Declared on the Joyless Bounty Hunter
These days, getting the girl looks a little different with Gerard Butler on the scene. Officially kicking Mr. Sensitive to the curb, his character's idea of a fun night involves throwing his ex in the trunk and carting her off to jail for a cool 20k in The Bounty Hunter. [Link]
Narcissism Rears Its Ugly Head in Greenberg
For a film that tries so hard to make a grand statement about the messiness of humanity and how "hurt people hurt people," there's something incredibly contrived and hollow about Greenberg, the latest from writer/director Noah Baumbach. [Link]
International Eyes Influence Newworldson's Second Set
Having spent the past two years touring not only North America, but all over the world, Newworldson combines their newfound international eyes and famed grooves to record a bigger, and more diverse, sounding collection than before. [Link]
Christ Claims You
“The LORD won’t leave his people nor give up his children.” Psalm 94:14 When everyone else rejects you, Christ accepts you. When everyone else leaves you, Christ finds you. When no one else wants you, Christ claims you. When no one else will give you the time of day, Jesus will give you the words of eternity . . . What is the work of God? Accepting people . . . Caring before condemning. [Link]
871 ways to die. 1 way to live
According to the National Safety Council, there are 871 ways to die. But there is only one way to live – by faith. 35-year-old pastor Matt Chandler was recently diagnosed with brain cancer. Watch as he discusses his initial diagnosis – and then we encourage you to follow him on this journey. He has much to teach us about the right way to live and what our priorities should be.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: What is something we have been putting off that we need to do? Let's set a date right now. [Link]
How to Inherit the Earth
If you learn how to submit yourself to God and others, you'll help to change the world for the better. [Link]
Who Took Verse 4 out of My Bible?
Most of us have read John 5:1–9, the story of the blind, paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda, many times, but I’ll bet there’s something that escaped your attention. [Link]
Pastors and Pain
Pastors are no strangers to pain, but… is it possible to turn that pain into gold? [Link]
Good Friday or Easter Christians?
Luke 24:11 [Link]
How to Live Below Your Means
Your household is like a business. It is a healthy company that ends the year not just breaking even, but with money in the bank. [Link]
There's Value in Those Early Jobs
Most early jobs are not a mistake or misdirection – they are simply part of the clarification process. Here are just a few jobs held by people who you may know for other vocations today… [Link]
The Single Life: Salad Daze
If you've ever wanted to grow your own produce, start with something a little smaller than a humongous vegetable garden like Granny used to tend. How about something you can manage nicely on your patio, balcony, or in a sunny window? What I'm thinking is this: you can grow your own salad! [Link]
All Things
“By Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.” Colossians 1:16 NASB What a phenomenal list! Heavens and earth. Visible and invisible. Thrones, dominions, rulers and authorities. No thing, place, or person omitted. The scale on the sea urchin. The hair on the elephant hide. The hurricane that wrecks the coast, the rain that nourishes the desert, the infant’s first heartbeat, the elderly person’s final breath -– all can be traced back to the hand of Christ, the firstborn of creation. [Link]
Celebrating your children's rite of passage
For thousands of years, in many countries and cultures throughout the world, rites of passage have been an important part of human culture. A rite of passage is a ritual or ceremony that marks a change in a person's social status. There are ceremonies in many cultures that memorialize the birth of a child, puberty, graduation, engagement, marriage, death, and other stages of life.For most of our western culture, while we still celebrate marriage through a wedding ceremony and observe death through a funeral, we lack a generally accepted rite of passage from childhood into adulthood. High school graduations are about as close as we come. But there is a much better, more meaningful way. Find out how to give your adolescent a blessing to mark their transition into adulthood. And if you would like a great book on that subject, we recommend The Blessing. To hear one Dad's experience of his childrens' blessing ceremony, watch this.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: "Can we do a blessing ceremony for our kids?" [Link]
CULTURE
CULTURE [Link]
Health Care: Don't Be Afraid
Now these three abide: anger, outrage, and fear—and the greatest of these is fear." That's not in the Bible. But sometimes I wonder if I think it is. [Link]
North Korea: The Hole in the Map
The satellite images show a black whole between China, South Korea, and Japan. Due to their isolation, North Koreans live in the same darkness. [Link]
Texas and the Textbook Alamo
What children are taught in public school matters. Whole societies have been altered by indoctrinating them, as the Soviet Union showed. [Link]
Easter: Celebrating the Extravagance of God’s Love
How can we welcome others into our homes in a way that truly conveys the message of Easter? Our family has learned to plan ahead while also letting go of perfectionism. [Link]
Children at Risk: The Cost of Splintered Family Life
Because America has become a land where divorce is rampant, "living together" is acceptable, out-of-wedlock births are common, and even the very definition of marriage is being redefined, America has created a generation of children at risk. [Link]
Waiting for Joy: How Depression Affects Married Life
Depression is a whole-body problem. It affects our thoughts, actions, feelings, relationships and even our faith-walk. [Link]
Singles in the Church: The Ghost Demographic
We singles exist as the ghost demographic in most churches, don't we? Many churches view us as mysterious peculiarities needing either coddling or discipline. Meanwhile, many of us wonder why we're being pigeonholed by marital status anyway. [Link]
No Normal Friday
“The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself.” John 10:11, The Message God is on a cross. The creator of the universe is being executed. Spit and blood are caked to his cheeks, and his lips are cracked and swollen. Thorns rip his scalp. His lungs scream with pain. His legs knot with cramps . . . And there is no one to save him, for he is sacrificing himself. It is no normal six hours . . . it is no normal Friday. [Link]
What will your life look like after your kids are gone?
Erma Bombeck had a great gift for writing about family life. She once wrote "Wet Oatmeal Kisses" about what your life will be like after your children grow up. Here's an excerpt:You will prepare a perfect dinnerwith a salad that hasn't had all the olives picked outand a cake with no finger traces in the icingand you'll say, "Now this is a meal for company."And you will eat it alone…Read her entire piece and then give your kids a big bear hug as soon as you get home.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What's something memory-making we can do this weekend? [Link]
Quiet Kindness
“When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it.” Galatians 6:10 Kind hearts are quietly kind. They let the car cut into traffic and the young mom with three kids move up in the checkout line. The pick up the neighbor’s trash can that rolled into the street. And they are especially kind at church. They understand that perhaps the neediest person they’ll meet all week is the one standing in the foyer or sitting on the row behind them in worship. [Link]
Can Christian Organizations Remain Christian in a “Tolerant” Age?
The case pitting the Hastings College of Law against the Christian Legal Society presents the nation — and its highest court — with an inescapable question: Are Christian organizations to be allowed to remain Christian, or must they all morph into secularized associations? [Link]
Faith in a Fallen World
There is true horror in the fall. But there is true hope in Christ. [Link]
Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter
"Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross" features Easter readings collected from the writings and sermons of 25 classic and contemporary Bible teachers. This one from Martin Luther is a compelling meditation on the question of who really killed Christ. [Link]
Avoiding the Bernie Madoffs of the Financial Industry
Since most of us don't have the time or inclination to learn the minutia of investing, it's important to have someone you can trust help you navigate the waters. But how do you avoid running into Bernie Madoff's first cousin? [Link]
Get the Most Money Selling Your House
A clean neat house will sell easier and can add an additional $5,000- $10,000 to your asking price. Using this method we sold our house in 10 days. [Link]
Are Your Transferable Skills Hurting Your Career Transition?
Are you looking to make a career change, but haven't been successful getting into the new field? Avoid these classic job search mistakes… [Link]
Your kids and the Social Media Revolution
You might hate Facebook just as much as this guy, but as a parent, ponder these stats for a minute: · 96% of Generation Y (18 – 29 year-olds) has joined social networking.· If Facebook members were a country, it would be the world's 4th largest behind China, India, and United States.· Celebrities on Twitter have more followers than the population of Norway, Ireland and Panama.· On YouTube, 13 hours of content are uploaded every minute.Like it or not, we are raising children in a wired generation. As fathers, we must have a consistent strategy on what technology our kids are exposed and under what parameters. Here are 10 Facebook rules to get you started. Also, be sure to Fan All Pro Dad and Tony Dungy on Facebook and follow All Pro Dad and Tony Dungy on Twitter.Huddle up with your older kids tonight and ask: What are the good things and the bad things about having a Facebook account? [Link]
Abraham: The Footprint of an Obedient Faith
When was the last time you heard about a 75-year-old man packing up his family and moving away somewhere totally non-specific? [Link]
He Planned It
“This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge.” Acts 2:23 NIV Jesus planned his own sacrifice. He intentionally planted the tree from which his cross would be carved. He willingly placed the iron ore in the heart of earth from which the nails would be cast . . . Christ was the one who set in motion the political machinery that would send Pilate to Jerusalem . . . He didn’t have to do it—but he did. [Link]
Seeing Jesus in the Face of the Persecuted
It’s hard to pray for statistics. It’s much easier to pray for people. It’s even easier when we remember the close connection between Christ and his suffering followers. Jesus said when we reach out to them, we are helping him. [Link]
Health Care: National Suicide by Self-Execution
The "Slaughter Rule" allows congressional members to claim that they didn't actually vote for the bill when they face citizens in their districts. But that kind of hocus-pocus is not going to work. [Link]
Genetically Modified Famine: Ideology Vs. the Poor
By 2050, the world's population, which is currently about 6.8 billion, is projected to peak at about 9 billion. Food production will have to increase by one third just to keep pace with population. We've got to produce more, urgently. [Link]
Glenn Beck, Social Justice, and the Limits of Public Discourse
The issues raised by his comments and the resultant controversy are worthy of our most careful thinking and most earnest struggle. Serious-minded Christians cannot move on from this issue so quickly. [Link]
Twilight and the Abstinence Attraction
Research shows that the reason teenage girls have fallen hard for the "Twilight" book and film series has to do with its portrayal of a traditional, abstinent romantic relationship. [Link]
Christian Marriage: Beware of Your Blind Spots
We all have blind spots that can kill us, and our prideful defensiveness must be dealt with if we are to grow. [Link]
Have a Great Life as a Pastor’s Wife
Your life as a pastor's wife is meant to be a great adventure – not a grim existence. [Link]
When your personal hurricane hits
In 1992, after Hurricane Andrew devastated South Florida, a man whose house was the only one still standing in his neighborhood said, "It hit us alright, but I built my house according to building code. I guess nobody else around here did." Conformance to codes does not become apparent until a storm hits. The same is true in your life. When everything falls apart around you, will you still be standing with your principles intact? Coach Tony Dungy shares a thing or two about how to keep standing even when times are very, very tough. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: If something really bad happens to you, how do you think you'll get through it? [Link]
Never More Human
“He poured out His soul unto death.” Isaiah 53:12 NKJV The scene is very simple; you’ll recognize it quickly. A grove of twisted olive trees. Ground cluttered with large rocks. A low stone fence. A dark, dark night . . . See that solitary figure? . . . Flat on the ground. Face stained with dirt and tears. Fists pounding the hard earth . . . That’s Jesus . . . God was never more human than at this hour. God was never nearer to us than when he hurt. [Link]
Dive In
“The person who is forgiven only a little will forgive only a little.” Luke 7:47 To believe we are totally and eternally debt free is seldom easy. Even if we’ve stood before the throne and heard it from the king himself, we still doubt. As a result, many are forgiven only a little, not because the grace of the king is limited, but because the faith of the sinner is small. God is willing to forgive all. He’s willing to wipe the slate completely clean. He guides us to a pool of mercy and invites us to bathe. Some plunge in, but others just touch the surface. [Link]
Mutiny Should be Declared on the Joyless Bounty Hunter
These days, getting the girl looks a little different with Gerard Butler on the scene. Officially kicking Mr. Sensitive to the curb, his character's idea of a fun night involves throwing his ex in the trunk and carting her off to jail for a cool 20k in The Bounty Hunter. [Link]
Does God Know When You’re Hanging on by a Thread?
I got a phone call recently that no pastor wants to get; a man in my church had suffered a massive heart attack and it didn’t look good at all. Four hours after I got to the hospital to be with the family, he died… his wife asked me a question as we stood in that hospital waiting room: “They say God won’t put on you more than you can bear. But, does God know when you’re hanging on by a thread?” [Link]
When It's Time for Plan B
When your plans fall apart, it doesn't necessarily mean God wasn't in them. It may just be time to consider Plan B. [Link]
31 Days to a More Powerful You
Proverbs offers the simplest, yet most profound, daily spiritual "pick-me-ups" to be found in all the Bible. [Link]
What Are We Singing: Blessed Be the Name of the Lord
What circumstances are you experiencing right now? Provision? Losing it all, like Job? Are you between a rock and a hard place or The Rock and a hard place? Will you curse? Will you kneel? Will you sing? [Link]
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Starts Strong but Weakens
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is fitfully funny, and at times is surprisingly fresh in its take on adolescence. But the film slips into standard comedy fare a bit too often, keeping it from being the breakout comedy it threatens to be early in its running time. [Link]
Of Men and Angels Another Fine Addition from The Rocket Summer
The beauty of The Rocket Summer is that there's rarely a misstep along the way with his whip-smart lyrical turns and enticing pop structures. His latest release, Of Men and Angels, is another fine addition in such a promising catalog. [Link]
Online Escapism: No Substitute for Real Community
The irony could not possibly be crueler. A South Korean couple let their 3-month-old baby starve to death at home while they spent all their time at Internet cafes—raising a virtual child. [Link]
He Knows What You Need
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3 NLT How did Jesus endure the terror of the crucifixion? He went first to the Father with his fears. Do the same with yours. Don’t avoid life’s Gardens of Gethsemane. Enter them. Just don’t enter them alone. And while there, be honest. Pounding the ground is permitted. Tears are allowed . . . And be specific . . . He knows what you need. [Link]
The depressing truth about anti-depressants
Many wonderful adults and children who suffer with depression are taking medication for their problem. But more and more scientific research is showing that pills designed specifically to help alleviate depression may not be any more effective than sugar pills. What is driving folks who are "helped" by this medication may simply be a placebo effect. Read more and share your comments here. So before you or your children take a pill designed to alter your brain chemistry, consider what other lifestyle changes or counseling sessions can be embraced before heading down the pharmaceutical path. This is not to say that there is never a place for medication, only that it should not be a first option.Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: Is there anything you're sad or worried about right now? [Link]
'This is Life We’re Talking About' — Abortion and the Health Care Bill
Ground Zero for the sanctity of human life is now the U.S. House of Representatives, where the Democratic leadership is pulling all the levers to come up with the 216 votes necessary to pass the Obama health care bill. [Link]
Counterfeit Gospels
In one of Paul Tripp's books (co-authored with Tim Lane), "How People Change," he identifies seven counterfeit gospels—-”religious” ways we try and “justify” or “save” ourselves apart from the gospel of grace. I found these unbelievably helpful. Which one (or two, or three) of these do you tend to gravitate towards? [Link]
Ageism in the Church?
What are the mandates and the models of Scripture regarding intergenerational life and ministry in our churches? What are the fruits of neglecting them? [Link]
Discovering the Power of Luke's Gospel: A Greek Word Study without Greek
Those students of the Bible who don't read Greek can still reach beyond the English Bible to the original Greek in four easy steps. [Link]
Five Steps to Get Organized
I am declaring before each and every one of you, my dear readers, this is my year to get organized. I have consulted several professional resources, done a lot of thinking and I've come up with the following steps I will take to achieve my goal. [Link]
Work: A Fundamental Purpose & Partnership with God
To understand the role of business in advancing the kingdom, we need to think about the biblical definition and purpose of work. Some may see work in only negative terms—as part of the curse, with no redeeming value. This is completely unbiblical. Many Christians, however, view work as only an instrumental good. Practically, this means that work—while not necessarily being bad—is seen as serving as an instrument or means to other goods, such as providing for your family, contributing to missions and the church, or charities, and so on. As an instrumental good, the work itself is viewed as merely a means to an end and not an end in and of itself. However, the Bible teaches that work is a fundamental good—a part of our fundamental purpose on earth. [Link]
Student Loans: Uncle Sam's Next Takeover?
The majority in Congress is ready to use reconciliation to sneak another government takeover through Congress — and I'm not talking about health care. [Link]
Works Matter
“If people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them?” James 2:14 James’ message is bare-knuckled; his style is bare-boned. Talk is cheap, he argues. Service is invaluable. It’s not that works save the Christian, but that works mark the Christian. In James’ book of logic, it only makes sense that we who have been given much should give much. Not just with words. But with our lives. [Link]
You and your children are miracles
Do you think you are not that special and your life does not have much meaning? You are pretty amazing, actually. Look at what is going on in just 1 of your 100,000,000,000,000 cells right now. You and your children are wonderfully made. You are miracles. Remember that every time you interact.Huddle up with your favorite miracles tonight and say: "You are special because ____." [Link]
St. Patrick: Why His Message Still Matters
Weak though he was, Patrick's success lay in his recognition of the Gospel's power to transform, transfigure and uplift, and this is as true for us in the 21st century as it was for him in the fifth. [Link]
Dobson: Obama and Pelosi 'Are Lying to Us'
Growing attention has been paid to what this legislation would mean for the cause of life. Syndicated radio host Janet Mefferd discussed the latest with Dr. James Dobson. [Link]
How Can Christian Counselors Advise Gay Clients?
Should a counselor who is Christian insist that clients conform to the counselor's beliefs? That's the critical difference between counselors and pastors… [Link]
Before You Denounce 'Social Justice,' Mr. Beck…
Some political conservatives denounce the "social gospel" as misguided and unbiblical, counseling Christians to avoid congregations that stress social justice. Should we? [Link]
Powerful Phrases that Can Improve Your Marriage
Words contain great power to either help or harm people. Here are some key phrases you can say to each other to improve your marriage. [Link]
Don't Be Blindsided by the Teen Years
When your child reaches the "tween" years, parenting can seem to smooth out and become easier, but those who have been through this stage might call it, "the calm before the storm." [Link]
Cohabiting Normative but Harmful
Cohabitation is increasingly becoming the first co-residential union formed among young adults, but those who practice some facets of marriage without the foundation of commitment are harming their relationship. [Link]
Such Passion
“I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love.” Ephesians 3:18 From the cradle in Bethlehem to the cross in Jerusalem we’ve pondered the love of our Father. What can you say to that kind of emotion? Upon learning that God would rather die than live without you, how do you react? How can you begin to explain such passion? [Link]
Don't take chances with prom dances
When our kids are headed to the prom, homecoming, or other big party dance, it can be challenging to think through everything you need to go over with them. This handout is an excellent start. Print it off and go over it every time your kids plan to go to a dance. It should greatly increase communication and decrease conflict. And, since you can't go on the date with your daughter, consider the trunk monkey.Huddle up with your teen tonight and ask them: What is the best thing about going to dances? What could potentially be the worst? [Link]
Hurt's So Good in The Yellow Handkerchief
The Yellow Handkerchief is a small but potent story of human failing and the power of forgiveness. Although Kristen Stewart and her young male co-star Eddie Redmayne do fine with their roles, it's William Hurt who walks away with the film. [Link]
Settling for Mr. Good Enough?
What I wanted in a man was so very temporal. Instead, God gave me what I needed, and Mr. Good Enough has become Mr. Wonderful, Mr. Phenomenal, Mr. Thank-You-for-Choosing-Me-for-Your-Wife… [Link]
Finding Time for God
My children have some internal alarm that goes off as soon as I open my Bible, so I often conclude my devotional time feeling frustration and guilt, resolving to try harder next time. How's a busy person supposed to spend time with God? [Link]
Turn Off the Gossip Channel
How do Christians identify and overcome that ugly beast, Gossip? How did believers ever get so comfortable with gossip in the first place? [Link]
Good Days and Bad Days
What constitutes "a good day"? One in which we don't worry, regardless of circumstances? One where we do God's will? Avoid temptations? Is a good life just a succession of good days? Dick Staub explores. [Link]
Lori Gottlieb Echoes Advice from Grandmas Everywhere in Marry Him
Today's American women are staying single longer than their mothers and many won't marry at all—and they have only themselves to blame. In a nutshell, that's the message of Lori Gottlieb's new book, Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough. [Link]
Internet Safety 101
Last week a comprehensive new set of parental resources designed to keep kids safe in our high-tech world was unveiled by the non-profit organization, Enough Is Enough. This fabulous package of resources is called Internet Safety 101. [Link]
His Love Is Not Normal
“Your love, God, is my song, and I’ll sing it!” Psalm 89:1, The Message God’s love is not human. His love is not normal. His love sees your sin and loves you still. Does he approve of your error? No. Do you need to repent? Yes. But do you repent for his sake or yours? Yours. His ego needs no apology. His love needs no bolstering. And he could not love you more than he does right now. [Link]
The love of money is a poor investment
In 1923, eight of the world's most successful business leaders met at a hotel in Chicago. Among them was the president of the largest independent steel corporation, the CEO of the largest gas company and the president of the New York Stock Exchange. Quite an impressive crowd. Now fast-forward 25 years. By then, three of the men had committed suicide, two others died broke, two more had spent time in prison, and the last went insane. Looking at the characteristics these men shared, money and power, far from bringing happiness, was the catalyst for disaster.See what Coach Dungy has to say about why power and money will never bring true happiness.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you think being rich will make you less or more happy? Why? [Link]
What Are We Singing: Be Magnified
Have you ever asked God for something fully expecting that the request is too much; even for Him? Like He is too busy with world peace and hunger to deal with your paltry issue? [Link]
Nigeria's Violence Not Strictly Religious
Christians and Muslims "could resolve it spiritually but still have a war over the land, the economy, the moving in the land," Estabrooks said. Could the tensions be any more complicated? [Link]
Fight Lies with Biblical Truths
Lots of lies swirl around this fallen world. That's why it's crucial to know the truth about who God really is, and who he has designed you to be. [Link]
The Scandal of Gendercide — War on Baby Girls
This week The Economist published its stunning cover story — "Gendercide: What Happened to 100 Million Baby Girls?" — ending media resistance to directly covering the horror. [Link]
Bad Attitude: The Newest 'Disorder'
In the past several decades we've come up with sympathetic psychological explanations for everything from shoplifting to adultery to murder. Apparently, however, this wasn't enough for the APA. [Link]
The Countersign: God's Servant in Haiti
What if your daily job were to work among the very poorest people in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere? Taking food to the "most ferocious slums"? Collecting bloated corpses from unsanitary morgues? [Link]
Finding God's Direction in Your Life
Throughout my years as a pastor, a number of people have come to me for counsel on how to find the direction God has set forward for their life. I have to admit, my straightforwardness is not lacking in my response to them: "Have you prayed about it?" [Link]
The Importance of Being Able to Talk About Money
Even when couples have a strong, stable relationship – and regardless of how much money they have – money is still often a source of conflict. But, if you figure out how to talk about money, it pays dividends. [Link]
The Advantages of Paying with a Credit Card
Some say that no one should have a credit card. But used responsibly, credit cards can work in your favor. [Link]
He Rested
“He rested on the seventh day.” Exodus 20:11, The Message Read what Jesus did during the last Sabbath of his life. Start in the Gospel of Matthew. Didn’t find anything? Try Mark…. Nothing there either? Strange. What about Luke?… Not a word about it? Well, try John. Surely John mentions the Sabbath. He doesn’t? No reference? Hmmmm. Looks like Jesus was quiet that day…. “You mean with one week left to live, Jesus observed the Sabbath?” As far as we can tell. [Link]
The best March Madness coach ever
As we get geared up for March Madness, let's pause and tip our hat to the best college basketball coach ever – John Wooden. He won 10 NCAA championships at UCLA and was victorious in 88 straight games. No other coach has ever reached even half of those staggering statistics. But, more importantly, John is an outstanding human being and an ideal role model for young men. As John approaches his 100th birthday this year, watch this moving video and learn about his incredible love for his wife and his secret to marriage. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: "Let's plan to have a March Madness party with your friends. Who would you like to invite over to watch a game with us?" [Link]
No More Pain
“There will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain, because all the old ways are gone.” Revelation 21:4 Folks, if you’re expecting to be given a fair shake in your life, forget it! You won’t be. You’re going to face illness. And your body is going to wear out. You may be the victim of someone else’s mistake. But you can get through those tough times if you prepare your heart now, living to know and serve the Savior who loves you and died so that you might have an eternal home free of pain and sorrow. [Link]
He Clothes Us
“You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God.” Ephesians 2:8 We hide. He seeks. We bring sin. He brings a sacrifice. We try fig leaves. He brings the robe of righteousness. And we are left to sing the song of the prophet: “He has covered me with the clothes of salvation and wrapped me with a coat of goodness, like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding, like a bride dressed in jewels” (Isa. 61:10). God has clothed us. He protects us with a cloak of love. [Link]
Remembering Burma: One Refugee’s Story
When Neineh escaped the gunfire into a refugee camp in Thailand, he left a place that still tugs at his heart today. The Global Day of Prayer for Burma is March 14. [Link]
Contextualization Without Compromise
To some, contextualization means giving people what they want and telling people what they want to hear. But contextualization without compromise simply means giving people God’s answers (which they may not want) to the questions they’re really asking and in ways they can understand. Isn't that what Christ calls us to do? [Link]
Your Church Is Too Small: Recovering a Biblical Ecumenism
When the church, according to Jesus, is living in visible relationship with each other, it is then that the world will know that God the Father has sent the Son. Is this not the desire of every faithful, gospel-centered Christian? This why I recommend an important new book, "Your Church is Too Small" by Dr. John H. Armstrong. In doing so, I join with Dr. Packer in saying, “I hope this book will not be ignored but will have the influence it deserves. Aspects of North America’s future—aspects, indeed, of the honor and glory of Christ in this century—may well depend on whether or not it does.” More… [Link]
Record of Reality: Archaeological Discovery and Scripture
Once again, archaeology confirms the accuracy of biblical history. That’s good news, but should it affect how we believers view Scripture? [Link]
Ask Dr. David: Can Church Staff Disagree with Leadership?
Relationship doctor David B. Hawkins veers off his usual topic to answer a church staffer who shares that he/she is "scolded and shamed for voicing any contrary opinion" to that of the pastor. Is the reader wrong to offer up individual opinions? [Link]
Green Zone Might Make You See Red
Before Green Zone, Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon teamed for two of the Jason Bourne films to much better effect. Although the third Bourne film revolved around issues, its main concern was a character. Green Zone is about an issue—the Iraq War—rather than about its characters. [Link]
Brooding and Heartbreak Go Hand in Hand in Remember Me
For whatever reason, trouble and tragedy seem to follow Robert Pattinson's characters wherever they go. First as Edward Cullen, the vampire who sparkles in the sunlight in Twilight. And now, as Tyler Hawkins, a brooding young man straight out of J.D. Salinger's imagination. [Link]
No Need to Attend Our Family Wedding
Urban comedy-dramas (popularized by Tyler Perry) have become a niche staple of the spring and fall movie seasons. Our Family Wedding is another addition to this growing sub-genre, and it most certainly has to rank among the worst. [Link]
A Good Friend
“The greatest love a person can show is to die for his friends.” John 15:13 I like John most for the way he loved Jesus. His relationship with Jesus was, . . . simple. To John, Jesus was a good friend with a good heart and a good idea . . . One gets the impression that to John, Jesus was above all a loyal companion. Messiah? Yes. Son of God? Indeed. Miracle worker? That, too. But more than anything . . . Jesus was a friend. [Link]
Things not to say to your wife
One of our favorite comedians, Tim Hawkins, has some thoughts on what not to say to your wife. Enjoy.Huddle up with your kids tonight and say: Let's all go around the dinner table tonight and say something nice about Mommy. [Link]
Women and Children First? A Tale of Two Ships
Aboard the Titanic, the men generally behaved with great concern for women and children, doing their best to get the women and children into the precious and insufficient seats in the lifeboats. The Lusitania sinking was another story. [Link]
CULTURE
CULTURE [Link]
Limited Expression: A Bully in Nanny's Clothing
We should tolerate our neighbor wearing a cross, but he must tolerate his neighbor who wears a Darwin-fish T-shirt. [Link]
Gay Marriage v. Religious Freedom: A Cautionary Tale
Catholic Charities in Washington, D.C., has announced changes to its employees' health care benefits. Normally, this wouldn't be big news, but… [Link]
Donations for Chile Lag Far Behind Haiti Giving
While Chile's seismic activity registered as the seventh-most powerful earthquake in recorded history, that power hasn't come close to motivating the kind of benevolent giving that Haiti experienced. [Link]
Curb Your Inner Advice-Giver
"My husband tells me that I'm always correcting him," a middle-aged woman shared. "I suspect he's right, but I see so much wrong and I can't help but comment on it…" [Link]
It’s Not Fair
“Guide me in your truth, and teach me, my God, my Savior.” Psalm 25:5 “It’s not fair,” we say. It’s not fair that I was born in poverty or that I sing so poorly or that I run so slowly. But the scales of life were forever tipped on the side of fairness when God planted a tree in the Garden of Eden. All complaints were silenced when Adam and his descendants were given free will, the freedom to make whatever eternal choice we desire. Any injustice in this life is offset by the honor of choosing our destiny in the next. [Link]
Beauty is deceiving
If your daughter is overly concerned about her looks, make sure you emphasize what's really important – the beauty of her soul. As this video shows, what much of what our culture defines as beauty is manufactured. Tell your daughter constantly that she is pretty, but teach her to focus on what lasts forever – a beautiful soul. Your words will contrast those of our culture's "only-skin-deep" propaganda.Huddle up with your daughter tonight and tell her: What do you think of this video? Do you think beauty is on the inside or outside? [Link]
How Much Do I Need to Know About My Potential Spouse’s Sexual Past? My Response
A young single Christian woman recently sent in this question. After giving it serious thought in view of the gospel and the gravity of all our sin, here is my response. [Link]
The Fruit of Hard Times
The devastation that I would've given anything to avoid years ago brought me my daughter and son, Sara and Jack… [Link]
When Our Kids Hurt
When painful circumstances arise, our first impulse is to pick our kids up or bail them out. But hurtful experiences in our children's lives are catalysts for their spiritual growth – and ours. [Link]
How Does the Death of Jesus Save Me?
"Jesus died for my sins." What does that mean exactly? How could the death of Jesus help me get to heaven? What does the death of Christ save me from? [Link]
Hospitality: Become a Wounded Healer
The great writer Henri Nouwen describes hospitality in his beautiful book The Wounded Healer as "a central attitude of the minister who wants to make his own wounded condition available to others as a source of healing." [Link]
How to Live on the Spiritual Edge
If you are spiritually stuck not growing closer to God, it's time to gravitate over to the edge of what's comfortable. [Link]
Newsong Keeps Going Strong with Give Yourself Away
Co-writes with Matthew West, Sanctus Real's Matt Hammitt and album producer, Charlie Peacock (Switchfoot, Sara Groves), help propel the veteran group into its third decade of ministry with Give Yourself Away. [Link]
Austin Carty: Survivor of Life's High Points and Lows
You might remember him as being "the Christian guy" on 2006's Survivor: Panama. No? Then prepare to meet Austin Carty, natural-born storyteller and author of the new memoir, High Points and Lows: Life, Faith and Figuring It All Out. [Link]
'Avatar': Waiting for Salvation from Beyond
Even if E.T. is out there, the solution for the longing expressed in Contact and Avatar isn't to sit by the phone waiting for him, or imagining other life forms. [Link]
Spirit of Peace
“Gideon built an altar . . . and named it The LORD Is Peace.” Judges 6:24 “Y-y-you b-b-better get somebody else,” we stammer. But then God reminds us that he knows we can’t, but he can, and to prove it he gives a wonderful gift. He brings a spirit of peace. A peace before the storm. A peace beyond logic . . . He gave it to David after he showed him Goliath; he gave it to Saul after he showed him the gospel; he gave it to Jesus after he showed him the cross. [Link]
10 Fun Things to Do With Your Family on Spring Break
Spring Break is such a wonderful time to build family memories. You can hit the beach, visit a national park or attend a minor or major league baseball game. But there are also many great activities you can do with your family around town. Check out our 10 Fun Things to Do With Your Family on Spring Break and be sure to let us know how it goes! Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: What's something we can do this Spring Break that we have never done before? [Link]
The Most Spectacular Sin Ever Committed
Was it the driving of the nails? The thrusting of the spear? The mockery of Herod? The weaving of the thorns and pushing them down on his head with glee? Peter's denial? Or Judas, who kissed him for 30 pieces of silver? [Link]
Individualism and the Death of Liberty
Individuals need to be protected. And if that protection does not come from the loving community of family and Church, the government steps in with all sorts of strings attached. [Link]
Etiquette Arising: Combating the Coarsening of Culture
Arnold Toynbee contended that one clear sign of a civilization’s decline is when the elites begin mimicking the vulgarity and promiscuity exhibited by society’s bottom-dwellers. The result: The entire culture is vulgarized. [Link]
Earthquake Relief Groups Take Different Paths in Chile, Haiti
In the early stages of disaster relief, the needs in both countries are almost identical. But the back-to-back disasters have revealed a stark contrast in the two countries' needs. [Link]
Mapping Your God-given Design
Are you ready to make a job or career change? If so, you need a good map! [Link]
Credit Card Culture: Incentivizing Greed
As a nation and as individuals, we’ve gotten to the point where we can hardly conceive of living life without access to an endless line of credit. The Credit CARD Act changes all that. [Link]
Obstacles that Could Keep You from Your Financial Goals
Growing up, I watched the hardest working man I knew, my grandfather, lose his entire life savings. Here's where he went wrong. [Link]
A Safe Place
“They knew nothing about what was happening until the flood came and destroyed them. It will be the same when the Son of Man comes.” Matthew 24:39 Noah was sent to save the faithful. Christ was sent to do the same. A flood of water came then. A flood of fire will come next. Noah built a safe place out of wood. Jesus made a safe place with the cross. Those who believed hid in the ark. Those who believe are hidden in Christ. [Link]
Winning back your wife's trust
College basketball coach Rick Pitino recently admitted to an extramarital affair, and publicly apologized to his family, friends and players. Pitino said "When you have a problem, if you tell the truth, your problem becomes a part of your past. If you lie, it becomes a part of your future." Sure, it was painful for him to tell the truth, and will be tough to win back the trust of his wife and family, but it would have been even more painful and agonizing to continue to live a lie.Read what Tony Dungy has to say about how to win back the trust of your wife. Then review these 14 ways to affair-proof your marriage.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: What can I do to make you feel more secure? [Link]
Trusting God When Life Seems Unfair
Where is God when life seems unfair? My friend, Patricia, was wondering just that. "My husband is living with some woman in Palm Springs," Patricia told me bitterly. "He doesn't seem to have a care in the world. In the meantime, I'm struggling to make ends meet for me and the kids." [Link]
Is the Reformation Over?
The Rev. Eric Bergman thinks he has seen the future — and it isn't Protestant. But is the Reformation truly on its last gasp? [Link]
The Pastor's Second Biggest Job
Like a coach, the pastor's biggest job is turning his team into winners. The second is keeping them winners. Problem is, no team stays static. [Link]
Protecting the Shine: Why Ministers Need Ministry, Too
Stained glass windows are a lot like pastors – really good at hiding stormy weather. But despite the risks, it's essential that those of us in ministry allow others into our lives. [Link]
Breaking the Cycle of Teen Drug Abuse
There's nothing more gut-wrenching for a parent than to deal with their teenager's drug addiction. It's like a slow death, not just for the teen, but for the the entire family. [Link]
What is God's Purpose for Your Marriage?
Before the drain of daily duties entered your marriage, did you have a vision of purpose in your relationship? When we focus on God's calling on our marriage we reap a number of benefits. [Link]
A Mother Needs Faith, Not Perfection
Mom, if you tap your baton to the sheet music of Scripture, some amazing things can happen in your daughter' s heart… [Link]
It’s Not What You Do
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ.” Romans 8:1 NIV There is never a point at which you are any less saved than you were the first moment Christ saved you. Just because you were grumpy at breakfast doesn’t mean you were condemned at breakfast. When you lost your temper yesterday, you didn’t lose your salvation. Your name doesn’t disappear and reappear in the book of life according to your moods and actions . . . You are saved, not because of what you do, but because of what Christ did. [Link]
Talking to your children about death
Abraham Lincoln's eldest son, Robert Todd Lincoln, was on the scene of three separate presidential assassinations. He was summoned to his father's side after his father was mortally wounded at Ford's Theatre in 1865. He was also in the train station where President Garfield was shot. And Robert was invited to an event by William McKinley and, at that occasion, McKinley was assassinated. Tragedy followed Robert wherever he went.As a father, you never know when your children will be exposed to death, or what their reaction might be. Here is some wise advice on talking to your children about death. It's never too early to start.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: What do you think happens to someone when they die? [Link]
A Great Gift
“‘I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,’ says the LORD Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:18 NKJV God did what we wouldn’t dare dream. He did what we couldn’t imagine. He became a man so we could trust Him. He became a sacrifice so we could know Him. And He defeated death so we could follow Him . . . Only a Creator beyond the fence of logic could offer such a gift of love. [Link]
We Need A Shepherd
“The Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep he tends.” Psalm 100:3 Sheep aren’t the only ones who need a healing touch. We also get irritated with each other, butt heads, and then get wounded. Many of our disappointments in life begin as irritations. The large portion of our problems is not lion-sized attacks, but rather the day-to-day swarm of frustrations and mishaps and heartaches. [Link]
Tim Burton's Wild Imagination Put to Good Use in Alice in Wonderland
Given that Tim Burton has been the guy responsible for everything from the lovable Edward Scissorhands to the grisly Sweeney Todd, it's not surprising that Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland would be a perfect vehicle for his unconventional filmmaking. [Link]
"Napkin Theology" an Example of One Man Influencing Culture Creatively
If you thought seminary took too much time and money, but were also convinced everyone lacked easily-accessible theological education, what would you create? Stan Ward's "Napkin Theology" is the latest example of Christians making Culture with quality and purpose. [Link]
Was Christianity Influenced by Mystery Religions?
Those determined to demolish the Biblical Jesus in the court of public opinion often state that His death, burial, and resurrection are myths borrowed from ancient pagan mystery religions. What's the truth? [Link]
Will I…?
God is looking for life-changers. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness and has empowered us with the ability to accomplish amazing things. But how? [Link]
Flimsy Finale, Depraved Behavior Doom Brooklyn's Finest
Brooklyn's Finest is tough going. Its solid performances (Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes) and hints of redemption make it better than many bad-cop dramas. But it spends too long wallowing in depraved behavior to qualify as recommended viewing. [Link]
Deas Vail's Birds & Cages Worth the Wait
From the opening falsetto and smart pop hook of "The Things You Were" through the somber piano refrains of "Atlantis," every single slice of this aural dessert is absolutely delicious. The wait has been worth every second. [Link]
Faith Takes Center Stage in Screen Play
Faith in Christ weaves a major theme throughout the story of Chris Coppernoll's Screen Play. Young actress Harper Gray has a strong but subtle faith. She does not fear obeying what she feels is the voice of the Spirit whispering to her. [Link]
The Lamb of Freedom
“When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Exodus 12:13 The blood on the doorpost reminds us . . . that it wasn’t Moses who set the Hebrews free. It was God. The blood on the doorpost reminds us of blood smeared on another post. Blood of another lamb. The Lamb of God. Because of his blood, we, too, are free. [Link]
Family life vs. business success
Oil billionaire J. Paul Getty put it succinctly when he said, "A long-lasting relationship with a woman is only possible if you are a business failure." Getty, married five times, ended his life living with someone who was not his wife. His theory was that you can't have it all – you can't be successful in business and have a good marriage. There's just not time. You must do either one or the other. Tony Dungy begs to differ. Hear what he says about making time for your wife, even in the midst of a very successful life. Huddle up with your wife and ask her tonight: What's one thing you would like to do with me this weekend? [Link]
Worldview in a Nutshell: Everything You Need to Know
Those who are beginning to become aware of worldview issues, and who are interested in living the deeper, more all-engaging life of Christian worldview, will need to be able to express their convictions. [Link]
The Survivors Club: Finding Faith to Carry You Through Disaster
With each heart wrenching update on every natural disaster, we wonder how we would cope if the places were switched. Could we endure the shock of losing everything and everyone we loved? Would we maintain hope and faith? Would we be generous to others? [Link]
Faithless New World: TV Imagines a Britain Minus Christianity
Survivors, a flu pandemic has killed 99 percent of the human race. The characters have all the diversity you could wish for — except when it comes to religion. [Link]
Black Children Are an Endangered Species?
Catherine Davis is a woman with a message, and that message is getting harder to ignore. "Black children are an endangered species." [Link]
So Soon after Haiti, Chile Earthquake Tests Aid Groups
Disaster relief officials are faced with a challenging task, trying to arrange assistance to victims of Chile's massive 8.8 earthquake while maintaining full-speed ahead operations in Haiti. [Link]
College Kids and Credit Cards: A Deadly Duo
Less than ten percent of college kids carried credit cards in the 1990's. Approximately 70 percent carry these little gems today. [Link]
Phone Apps are Making it Easy to Track Finances on the Go
Droids, iPhones, Blackberries — these are not your father's cell phones. Here is an overview of some of the "apps" leading the personal-finance revolution. [Link]
No Money to Start a Business? No Problem!
Frankly, I've never had enough money to start a business – but I just went ahead anyway with whatever resources I had available. [Link]
The Fulfilled Law
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 NIV Religious rule-keeping can sap your strength. It’s endless. There is always another class to attend, Sabbath to obey, Ramadan to observe. No prison is as endless as the prison of perfection. Her inmates find work but they never find peace. How could they? They never know when they are finished. Christ . . . fulfilled the law for you. Bid farewell to the burden of religion . . . God pledges to help those who stop trying to help themselves. [Link]
Don't neglect your daughter
The Journal of Family Psychology noted that 41% of fathers with sons spent more time with their child, compared to 16% for dads of daughters. In other words, many dads simply do not hang out with their daughters to the extent they hang out with their sons. This is unfair. Sons may be easier for dads to relate to because of some shared interests and points of view, but girls need every bit as much of their dad's attention as boys do. If you have a daughter, talk to your wife about different ways you can enter her world – even if you don't always understand. If you're not there for your baby girl, some other guy will be. And that's a gamble you don't want to take.Dads, learn more about what your daughter is feeling, and what she needs from you. Huddle up and ask your daughter tonight: When can we go out on a "date?" [Link]
Top 10 Articles of February 2010
What causes some people to lose faith while others find rest in Christ? This and more in February's most popular articles. [Link]
The Meeting of the Waters: Currents Affecting the Church
Changes are rippling through the global Church, creating challenges and opportunities like never before. [Link]
The View from Mount Nebo: Learning from Moses' Fall from Leadership
As Moses discovered, all leaders are dispensable. Especially when they forget the source of their power. [Link]
Pay It Upward!
Maybe you have heard the phrase "pay it forward." The expression "pay it forward" has come to describe the concept of asking that a person repay a good turn by having it done to others instead of "paid back." When someone does something good for you, in turn you do something good for someone else — not a bad way to generate a conspiracy of kindness. I understand that some plan to designate Thursday, April 29, 2010, as "Pay It Forward Day." [Link]
Sticking with the Ongoing Work of Marriage
Dr. David: We read a good book and practice what the author teaches, and then some time later we're right back to our old habits. What can we do to keep our progress going? [Link]
Where Homeschooling is Outlawed — Asylum?
The Romeikes are homeschoolers who are determined to provide the education for their children. In Morristown, that is about as controversial as bass fishing, but in Germany it is a crime. [Link]
Handling Teen Misbehavior
When a teen breaks the rules, they need a responsible adult to respond, not react. [Link]
Why We Need a Savior
“The law of the Spirit that brings life made me free from the law that brings sin and death.” Romans 8:3 The cross did what sacrificed lambs could not do. It erased our sins, not for a year, but for eternity. The cross did what man could not do. It granted us the right to talk with, love, and even live with God. You can’t do that by yourself. I don’t care how many worship services you attend or good deeds you do, your goodness is insufficient . . . That’s why we need a savior. [Link]
10 ways to tackle teen drinking
Newsweek reports, "People who drink before age 15 are four times as likely to be alcohol-dependent or have alcohol problems when they're adults. Even though drinking under the age of 21 is illegal in all 50 states, 41 percent of ninth graders reported drinking in the past month, according to National Institutes of Health literature." Underage drinking is a serious problem. If you suspect your pre-teen or teen is drinking, don't sweep it under the rug. It's not just a rite of passage; it's a prescription for disaster. Read this for 10 ways to tackle teen drinking.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Three ways drinking can ruin your life are: ____, ____, and ____. [Link]
Tiger's Tale and the Truth about Sexual Addiction
Eyes often roll at the term "sexual addiction." For some, this misunderstood concept feels like an excuse for poor behavior. Author Meg Wilson, who once walked a path similar to Elin's, clears up common misconceptions. [Link]
Hope for Health Care Reform after the Summit
To both sides, I say, "Enough!" Enough of playing politics with our health care. There are real, tangible reforms that you can accomplish now. [Link]
Michigan Rethinks No-Fault Divorce
No-fault divorce laws put the entire society at fault for weakening and injuring the most basic institution of human life and culture. There is plenty of fault to go around on this one. [Link]
Chileans Survey Earthquake Damage, Count Their Blessings
As the fear of tsunamis diminishes, Chileans are confronting the greater devastation facing their country after Saturday's historic earthquake. [Link]
Cop Out Wears Its Juvenile Humor Like a Badge of Honor
In what's supposed to be a cheeky homage to '80s crime-fighting fare like Beverly Hills Cop, Lethal Weapon and of course, Die Hard, Cop Out is nothing more than a 107-minute string of bad jokes without the benefit of a punch line. [Link]
Indie Rock Roots Maintained on Abandon Kansas' Debut
While Abandon Kansas amassed so much attention locally that its sound earned the attention of Gotee Records, this debut EP maintains its artful, indie rock roots—yet creatively manages to have mainstream appeal in the process. [Link]
Blind Sided by the Gospel
The Blind Side, the surprise blockbuster movie that tells the remarkable story of Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher. Michael’s story is a true-life tale of nearly hopeless beginnings, the generous love of neighbor, and redemption; it is a powerful representation of the gospel of the kingdom. [Link]
The Economy of Heaven
“A crown is being held for . . . all those who have waited with love for him to come again.” 2 Timothy 4:8 We understand that in the economy of earth, there are a limited number of crowns. The economy of heaven, however, is refreshingly different. Heavenly rewards are not limited to a chosen few, but “to all those who have waited with love for him to come again.” The three-letter word all is a gem. The winner’s circle isn’t reserved for a handful of the elite but for a heaven full of God’s children. [Link]
Be your child's cardiologist
You should be your child's cardiologist. Your primary concern for them should be their heart. What is their attitude? Are they mean-spirited or are they kind? Are they loving or selfish? It's all about what motivates our children. When your child's heart is right, their life will be right. See what Tony Dungy has to say about the type of "heart attitude" he tries to instill in his children, and in the players he coached.Huddle up and ask your children tonight: Do you know someone who is selfish? How do you think it will affect their future? [Link]
He Said-She Said: Turning Down Suitors, Signs of Availability & More
This month, "he" and "she" attempt to answer several questions related to turning down suitors, whether or not someone is married (hello, where's the wedding band?), cultural and racial differences in relationships and much more. [Link]
Unholy Trinity: Outraged at TBN's Brazen False Teaching
All those who truly love Christ and care about the truth have a solemn duty to defend the truth by exposing and opposing lies that masquerade as truth. [Link]
When Your Faith Needs a Stretch
What would have happened if I had answered the young mother's telephone call? Would I have discouraged her from praying for healing for her baby? My faith needed help. [Link]
The Shack — The Missing Art of Evangelical Discernment
The Shack is now one of the best-selling paperback books of all time, and its readers are enthusiastic. But the theology is not incidental to the story. [Link]
Regret-Free Living: Making Decisions Backwards
Here are some "backward thinking" principles you can use now to live a life that will culminate in experiencing a sense of joy, not regret, about what you have done with your time on earth. [Link]
Buyer Beware: Addressing the Student Loan Problem
It isn’t right for financially incompetent young Americans to be penalized for decades because no adult who knew better stopped them from making a foolish financial mistake. [Link]
Find the Best Interest Rates on Savings Accounts
Somewhere between dismal and no-way-no-how are a few precious organizations that are offering higher rates without a lot of restrictions, conditions or fees. [Link]
Being Made Perfect
“With one sacrifice he made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14 Underline the word perfect. Note that the word is not better. Not improving. Not on the upswing. God doesn’t improve; he perfects. He doesn’t enhance; he completes . . . When he sees each of us, he sees one who has been made perfect through the One who is perfect—Jesus Christ. [Link]
What basketball can be
March Madness tips off soon, and what better what to start it than by watching one of the most amazing basketball stories you'll ever see. This inspiring video about Jason McElwain, "J Mac", will leaving you smiling and thinking about what is possible, even when the odds seem to be stacked against you.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Is there something you are afraid to try? Why? [Link]
Let Your Light Shine
“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” Matthew 5:16, NIV Did you notice the first five letters of the word courteous spell court? In old England, to be courteous was to act in the way of the court. The family and servants of the king were expected to follow a higher standard. So are we. Are we not called to represent the King? Then “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” [Link]
"State of Catastrophe…" Earthquake Rocks Chile, Pacific Tsunami Expected
CNN and other news agencies are reporting that magnitude 8.8 earthquake rocked Chile early Saturday, killing over 100 people and triggering tsunami warnings for Hawaii and the entire Pacific basin. [Link]
Your Friend Jesus
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:14, NKJV Jesus was touchable, approachable, reachable . . . He was the kind of fellow you’d invite to watch the Rams-Giants game at your house. He’d wrestle on the floor with your kids, doze on your couch, and cook steaks on your grill. He’d laugh at your jokes and tell a few of his own. And when you spoke, he’d listen to you as if he had all the time in eternity. And one thing’s for sure, you’d invite him back. [Link]
OLYMPICS
OLYMPICS [Link]
Speed Skaters Race with a Bigger Perspective
When U.S. speed skaters Trevor Marsicano and Chad Hedrick take the ice tonight in the men’s team pursuit, medals are only part of their pursuit. [Link]
Olympics: Faith Stirs Women's Bobsled Duo to "Work Stuff Out"
Erin Pac and Elana Meyers may be bobsled teammates, but they haven't always been the best of friends. Their shared commitment to the Lord has helped them overcome the obstacles in their relationship. [Link]
Lessons From The Downhill
I have loved watching the Olympic skiing. I sit slack-jawed as I watch Bode Miller and Lindsay Vonn attack the slopes with absolute abandon. I have skiied a little over the years although, to be authentic, my form more closely resembles Herman Munster on skis than Bode Miller. Still I have experienced enough to know how amazing and fearless these athletes are. [Link]
Mandatory Sex Education for Ten-Year-Olds? Yours?
Planned Parenthood is calling for compulsory comprehensive sexuality education for every child and young person ages 10 to 24 on the planet. [Link]
Global Warming Alarmism Melts Down with Phil Jones's Admissions
Forget all you've heard about unprecedented global warming. One scientist's revelations have dealt a mortal wound to the case for manmade climate change. [Link]
Fighting the Sex Trade with Jewelry: Worldview Gems
Some 230 years ago, Josiah Wedgwood designed a medallion featuring an African in chains to generate conversations about slavery. Today, two women are taking that principle to their jewelry business. [Link]
The Founders: How Christian Were They?
The battle over how Christian the founders were is likely to continue in Texas and across the country. The truth lies somewhere in between the two extremes. [Link]
Life and Times in Christian Music Recounted in Hear No Evil
Growing up fundamentalist in the early days of Contemporary Christian music can result in lasting … I hate to say scars, but it certainly leaves a mark. Matthew Paul Turner bares his bumps and bruises for the world to see in Hear No Evil. [Link]
TobyMac Brings More Attitude, Extra Juice to Tonight
On this follow-up to the triumphant Portable Sounds, TobyMac once again delivers his remarkably consistent rap/hip-hop/alternative rock aura—but with some extra juice and more attitude than ever before. [Link]
Seabird Attempts to Quell the Tide with Rocks
For a band quoted as perfectly content "being the underdog" for their entire career if "that meant surprising the critics and naysayers every time we scored a touchdown," Seabird must have ignored their recent mainstream achievements. [Link]
Keeping Unity
“All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.” John 13:35 Stop and think about that verse for a minute. Could it be that unity is the key to reaching the world for Christ? . . . Nowhere, by the way, are we told to build unity. We are told simply to keep unity. From God’s perspective there is but “one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16). Unity does not need to be created; it simply needs to be protected. [Link]
When your family needs healing
Whether your family needs physical or emotional healing, take a few minutes to watch this inspiring video and remember, no matter how tough your situation is now, you are never alone.Huddle up with your kids tonight and tell them: Something really hard I had to go through in life was ____. I was able to push through it by ____. [Link]
Don't Forget about Haiti's Orphans
God, where are you? It has been a popular question during the weeks following the earthquake in Haiti. Personally, I believe God asks that same question of us: "Where are you?" [Link]
In Praise of Small Churches
Abraham Lincoln once said of common folk, "God must have loved them; He made so many of them." The same can be said of small churches, but we seem to have forgotten that. Someone should put in a good word for the small church… [Link]
Falling on Deaf Ears? Why So Many Churches Hear So Little of the Bible
"It is well and good for the preacher to base his sermon on the Bible, but he better get to something relevant pretty quickly, or we start mentally to check out." [Link]
How Did You Become a Preacher?
Looking for great preachers, it would appear, was never on God's shopping list. [Link]
Is it Possible to Rebuild Trust after Unfaithfulness?
Is it possible to fully trust your spouse again after an affair? Gary and Mona Shriver, authors of Unfaithful, know the challenges of healing from infidelity well. Here, they discuss how they rebuilt the trust. [Link]
Creating a Safe Place for Feelings to Land
Phil and Amanda are part of a large number of couples who guard their feelings excessively from one another. Why do spouses withdraw from one another and what can you do to encourage your spouse to open up? [Link]
Is Your Family Called to Foster Care or Adoption?
Across the nation, I have talked with many Christian adults who would like to become foster parents but have never taken that step because of fear of failure and the unknown. [Link]
He Knows What We Need
“We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us.” Romans 8:26 You know, we really don’t know what to pray for, do we? What if God had answered every prayer that you ever prayed? Just think who you’d be married to. Just think where you’d be living. Just think what you’d be doing. God loves us so much that sometimes he gives us what we need and not what we ask. [Link]
The threat in your neighborhood
Many states have websites where you can type in your zip code and find out how many, and where, sex offenders in your neighborhood live. Some people may abuse these websites and harass the criminals, but that is not what you need to do. Rather, understand that sex offenders are out there and keep your children away from them. Always know where your kids are, and instruct them to NEVER talk to or go with strangers… sometimes even those across the street.Here's how to find out if a sexual predator lives near you.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: How can we better protect our children from predators? [Link]
How to Become the Person You Want to Be
Pursuing certain accomplishments in life isn't nearly as important as becoming the person God created me to be. Here's how I can become The Me I Want to Be. [Link]
Mirroring the Master
Jesus initiated many relationships with the lost. When we cherish God's Word as Jesus did, it leads to conversations that venture below the surface to deeper spiritual issues. [Link]
Are You Too Old?
I often have people tell me they think they are "too old" to: learn another language, go back to school, rebuild broken relationships, etc. But is this true? [Link]
Why the Economic Crisis is the Greatest Opportunity in 150 Years
If you are being impacted by the current economic downturn let me encourage you not to fear! We know who holds the future. [Link]
Finance Q&A: When Should I Start Collecting Social Security?
Are there benefits to receiving your Social Security checks early, or should those closing in on retirement wait? Expert Deborah Nayrocker answers. [Link]
Christianity: Not for Pollyanna People
Cynicism is gossip with hair on its chest. [Link]
Ministries Seek Excellence During Olympic Outreach
As the games continue, it is the friendliness, helpfulness and generosity tens of thousands of volunteers who are winning the hearts of the international athletes and guests. [Link]
Pure in Heaven
“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2, NASB As Christ dominates your thoughts, he changes you from one degree of glory to another until—hang on!—you are ready to live with him. Heaven is the land of sinless minds . . . Absolute trust. No fear or anger . . . Heaven will be wonderful, not because the streets are gold, but because our thoughts will be pure. [Link]
Is Facebook a problem?
The next time Jonathan Parker wants to burglarize a house, maybe he'll stick to his priorities. After rifling through draws and cabinets before making off with a pair of diamond rings, Parker stopped to check his Facebook profile on his victim's home computer and neglected to log off. Police easily tracked him down and charged him with a felony burglary count.Facebook can be a great tool, but can trip up children as well as burglars. If you are concerned about your children's use of Facebook, try these 10 guidelines for sensible social media use.And if you're a Facebook user, be sure to fan All Pro Dad and Coach Dungy!Huddle up and ask your children tonight: Do you think people can get addicted to Facebook? Why or why not? [Link]
Christianity: Not for Pollyanna People
Cynicism is gossip with hair on its chest. [Link]
Mirroring the Master
Jesus initiated many relationships with the lost. When we cherish God's Word as Jesus did, it leads to conversations that venture below the surface to deeper spiritual issues. [Link]
How to Become the Person You Want to Be
Pursuing certain accomplishments in life isn't nearly as important as becoming the person God created me to be. Here's how I can become The Me I Want to Be. [Link]
Why the Economic Crisis is the Greatest Opportunity in 150 Years
If you are being impacted by the current economic downturn let me encourage you not to fear! We know who holds the future. [Link]
Are You Too Old?
I often have people tell me they think they are "too old" to: learn another language, go back to school, rebuild broken relationships, etc. But is this true? [Link]
Finance Q&A: When Should I Start Collecting Social Security?
Are there benefits to receiving your Social Security checks early, or should those closing in on retirement wait? Expert Deborah Nayrocker answers. [Link]
You Have a Place With Him
“The blind receive sight, the lame walk; those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear.” Matthew 11:5 NIV None were more shunned by their culture than the blind, the lame, the lepers, and the deaf. They had no place. No name. No value. Canker sores on the culture. Excess baggage on the side of the road. But those whom the people called trash, Jesus called treasures. [Link]
NewsNote: Tiger Woods’ Buddhist Confession
Tiger Woods made a remarkable statement of confession. But the most remarkable aspect of his confession is its Buddhist shape. American Christians should look at those words with care. [Link]
Once Blind, Now He Sees: Miracle Stem Cell Cures
Russell Turnbull, who was nearly blind in one eye, has had his sight almost completely restored, thanks to a pioneering procedure using stem cells. Adult stem cells. [Link]
What Is the Role of Faith in Global Warming Debates?
Different faith commitments can lead to very different hypotheses about the warming effects of added greenhouse gases, leading to very different conclusions about impacts and policy. [Link]
Check the Health of Your Remarriage
All married couples face pressures that can harm or destroy their marriages. But spouses in remarriages are even more vulnerable. [Link]
Teen Pregnancy Hype
To cause as much public panic as possible, the pro-teen-sex activists would have you believe that the teen pregnancy rate has increased across the board for all teenagers ages 13-19. But it is not so. [Link]
Is Embryo Adoption Immoral?
I contend that parents who adopt "frozen embryos" are no more endorsing the immoral IVF technologies involved than parents adopting from an unwed mother are endorsing fornication or adultery. (Read more) [Link]
Living for God Without a SmartPhone
Sometimes I wonder what I would do if my smartphone not only "enhanced" my life, but could also "foretell" it. What "app" would I install—one that would give me the ability to know everything that will happen in my life? Or maybe one that tells me the right decision to make? [Link]
NewsNote: Tiger Woods’ Buddhist Confession
Tiger Woods made a remarkable statement of confession. But the most remarkable aspect of his confession is its Buddhist shape. American Christians should look at those words with care. [Link]
Once Blind, Now He Sees: Miracle Stem Cell Cures
Russell Turnbull, who was nearly blind in one eye, has had his sight almost completely restored, thanks to a pioneering procedure using stem cells. Adult stem cells. [Link]
What Is the Role of Faith in Global Warming Debates?
Different faith commitments can lead to very different hypotheses about the warming effects of added greenhouse gases, leading to very different conclusions about impacts and policy. [Link]
Check the Health of Your Remarriage
All married couples face pressures that can harm or destroy their marriages. But spouses in remarriages are even more vulnerable. [Link]
Teen Pregnancy Hype
To cause as much public panic as possible, the pro-teen-sex activists would have you believe that the teen pregnancy rate has increased across the board for all teenagers ages 13-19. But it is not so. [Link]
Is Embryo Adoption Immoral?
I contend that parents who adopt "frozen embryos" are no more endorsing the immoral IVF technologies involved than parents adopting from an unwed mother are endorsing fornication or adultery. (Read more) [Link]
His Children
“God sent his Son . . . so we could become his children.” Galatians 4:4-5 We . . . were orphans. Alone. No name. No future. No hope. Were it not for our adoption as God’s children we would have no place to belong. We sometimes forget that. [Link]
Protecting your kids from marketing predators
Merchants of Cool. It features firsthand testimonies from media moguls about how they market to youngsters, not based on conscience, but on cash. It's a very in-depth (and warning – parts are explicit) series and free to view online. Your views of pop culture might change profoundly. And go here for 10 ways to monitor media in your kid's life.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Who is your favorite singer? [Link]
My Rumspringa
Pastor Joshua Harris' latest book "Dug Down Deep" unearths what Christians believe and why it matters. Read his opening pages of this 21st century guide to knowing Christ. You may never view superficial Christianity the same way again. [Link]
What Starbucks, Harry and You All Have in Common (Heb. 2:2-3)
When the church functions as Jesus established it to function, it is a safe place where we can bear one another's burdens. [Link]
The Year's Best Preaching Books and the 2010 Preaching Book of the Year
Each year seems to bring new treasures to the preacher's bookshelf, and 2009 was no exception. While there was not an abundance of publications in the field of homiletics, there were some quality offerings released in recent months. Several titles were legitimate contenders for our Preaching Book of the Year recognition this time, but the winner is being cited because of the breadth of quality resources it makes available in the field of preaching. [Link]
Shivers Galore on Shutter Island
Dreamlike and full of haunting imagery and music, Shutter Island is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane and is a spectacular downer with several moments of great emotional anguish. But it ends on such a grim note that it's hard to imagine anyone enjoying the film. [Link]
Conversation Leads to an Interesting Tea with Hezbollah
It started as a conversation at the Hard Rock Café in Denver. Author Ted Dekker posed the question: "Is it really possible to love your enemy?" Co-author Carl Medearis replied, "Why don't we find out?" And thus, Tea with Hezbollah was born. [Link]
Collision: Christopher Hitchens and Douglas Wilson
What began as a correspondence between atheist Christopher Hitchens and conservative Christian Douglas Wilson has led to a co-authored book, a debate tour, and now a fascinating documentary. [Link]
Did He Get Married Too Young?
David Lapp, age 22, is now happily married. In a Wall Street Journal column, he deals head-on with objections to young marriage. [Link]
My Rumspringa
Pastor Joshua Harris' latest book "Dug Down Deep" unearths what Christians believe and why it matters. Read his opening pages of this 21st century guide to knowing Christ. You may never view superficial Christianity the same way again. [Link]
What Starbucks, Harry and You All Have in Common (Heb. 2:2-3)
When the church functions as Jesus established it to function, it is a safe place where we can bear one another's burdens. [Link]
Shivers Galore on Shutter Island
Dreamlike and full of haunting imagery and music, Shutter Island is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane and is a spectacular downer with several moments of great emotional anguish. But it ends on such a grim note that it's hard to imagine anyone enjoying the film. [Link]
Conversation Leads to an Interesting Tea with Hezbollah
It started as a conversation at the Hard Rock Café in Denver. Author Ted Dekker posed the question: "Is it really possible to love your enemy?" Co-author Carl Medearis replied, "Why don't we find out?" And thus, Tea with Hezbollah was born. [Link]
Collision: Christopher Hitchens and Douglas Wilson
What began as a correspondence between atheist Christopher Hitchens and conservative Christian Douglas Wilson has led to a co-authored book, a debate tour, and now a fascinating documentary. [Link]
Love is a Fruit
“The Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22 Love is a fruit. A fruit of whom? Of your hard work? Of your deep faith? Of your rigorous resolve? No. Love is a fruit of the Spirit of God. “The Spirit produces the fruit of love” (Gal. 5:22, NCV). [Link]
You'll never believe who failed
Do your children think they fail at just about everything? Watch this video with them and discuss how success is nothing more than persevering and refusing to accept failure.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you think a winner always succeeds, all the time? [Link]
Our Faithful God
Jesus took the loaves of bread, thanked God for them, and gave them to people.” John 6:11 When the disciples didn’t pray, Jesus prayed. When the disciples didn’t see God, Jesus sought God. When the disciples were weak, Jesus was strong. When the disciples had no faith, Jesus had faith. He thanked God… God is faithful even when his children are not. That’s what makes God, God. [Link]
You Have a Place With Him
“The blind receive site, the lame walk; those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear.” Matthew 11:5 NIV None were more shunned by their culture than the blind, the lame, the lepers, and the deaf. They had no place. No name. No value. Canker sores on the culture. Excess baggage on the side of the road. But those whom the people called trash, Jesus called treasures. [Link]
Pick Your Battles, Atheists: The Mother Teresa Stamp
If you hate religion so much that you can't bear to see a person like Mother Teresa honored, you need to take a hard look at your own worldview. [Link]
Haiti Judge Frees 8 of 10 Baptist Detainees
Judge Bernard Saint-Vil said two volunteers would not be freed. Laura Silsby, the group's leader, and her nanny are being kept for further investigation. [Link]
NewsNote: Just How Secular Can an Education Be?
Lisa Miller is taking Harvard University to task for its "crisis of faith" — which amounts to a crisis in its curriculum for undergraduates. As Miller explains, "the Harvard faculty cannot cope with religion." [Link]
Is It Okay for Me to Opt Out of Social Security?
This question was recently sent to me from a young Baptist minister. Here's my response to it. [Link]
Planning for Fewer Financial Fights with Your Spouse
Money is a well-known source of conflict among married couples, but new research shows that the use of a simple-though-unpopular financial tool may help dial down their financial fights. [Link]
God Controls Even Our Suffering
How does a biblical understanding of God’s love and sovereignty serve to encourage and sustain us during trials? [Link]
Pick Your Battles, Atheists: The Mother Teresa Stamp
If you hate religion so much that you can't bear to see a person like Mother Teresa honored, you need to take a hard look at your own worldview. [Link]
Investment in Climate Change Means Snow Has to Go
Given what’s at stake, inconvenient snow and cold has to be explained away, even as leading climate change scientists admit that no significant warming has occurred since 1995. [Link]
Haiti Judge Frees 8 of 10 Baptist Detainees
Judge Bernard Saint-Vil said two volunteers would not be freed. Laura Silsby, the group's leader, and her nanny are being kept for further investigation. [Link]
Is It Okay for Me to Opt Out of Social Security?
This question was recently sent to me from a young Baptist minister. Here's my response to it. [Link]
Planning For Fewer Financial Fights With Your Spouse
Money is a well-known source of conflict among married couples, but new research shows that the use of a simple-though-unpopular financial tool may help dial down their financial fights. [Link]
All Beginnings Are Hopeful
In all my years of coaching, I have never seen a person who has a clear plan and goals who is also depressed. [Link]
He Calls It Worship
“The lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” Genesis 22:5 NKJV Abraham is about to sacrifice his only son—and what word does he use to describe the act? “Worship.” He’s headed up the mountain to place the biggest part of his life on an altar and he calls it “Worship.” When we think of worship we typically think of offering a song, or a prayer, or a gift. But when Abraham worshiped, he offered his son. He offered the biggest part of his life to God. [Link]
Lead An Uncommon Event with your friends and family
Score a touchdown with your friends and family by offering this DVD study led by Coach Tony Dungy! Tony shares core truths he wants men to understand, live by, and pass on to their families. Each session challenges men to live a more significant life. This group study is flexible and great for an all-day event, church weekend retreat, or four weekly or monthly study sessions (it's divided into four segments). The event kit contains a DVD with 60 minutes of Coach Dungy explaining what it means to become a person of faith, significance and influence; a CD with easy-edit promo pieces, a leader's manual with session questions, activities, and sample schedules; and two pass-it-on coasters that spark discussions and cinch key points. Hear from Coach Dungy about this exciting event, then go here for more details or to order your kit.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: Should we do a series like this with some other families we know? [Link]
God’s Joy
“I have said these things to you that my joy may be in you.” John 15:11 RSV Think about God’s joy. What can cloud it? What can quench it? . . . Is God ever in a bad mood because of bad weather? Does God get ruffled over long lines or traffic jams? Does God ever refuse to rotate the earth because his feelings are hurt? No. His is a joy which consequences cannot quench. His is a peace which circumstances cannot steal. [Link]
What the Bible Says about the Persecuted — And Us
The question is not whether the church under persecution may be blessed. The question, rather, is whether we want the blessings that come to those who take an unpopular stand for religious liberty. [Link]
"Jesus Christ, Teach Us to Pray"
Jesus didn’t always go to the same room and close the door behind Him when He prayed, but He did consistently find private places to spend time in intimate prayer with His Father. How many times a week do we do that? How many times in a year? [Link]
How to Conquer Your Fear of Sharing Your Faith
Jesus has called everyone who follows Him to take the Gospel message to the world, yet studies show that only two percent of professing Christians evangelize. Read on if you hope to overcome your fear of sharing the good news. [Link]
The Different Types of Fasts
Dr. Peter Holme's, author of The Fasting Journey, looks at the various types of fasts you can undertake. [Link]
10 Lenten Traditions to Enrich Your Family's Easter Celebration
As new believers, we wanted our relationship with Christ to be part of our family’s daily life – not just Sunday only. Traditions provide vivid impressions on children which parents can build year after year… [Link]
Teenagers Seeking Purpose
I am convinced that if more kids knew their purpose, they'd have fewer struggles in the teen years. They'd feel a sense of meaning; they'd know where they are headed and concentrate on getting there. [Link]
Confronting an Irresponsible Spouse
Too many people tolerate too much abuse in marriage, believing it somehow virtuous to be longsuffering. The Apostle Paul clearly advises us on setting boundaries in marriage, and allowing for strong consequences when those boundaries are violated… [Link]
Two Gardens
“The Son gives life.” John 5:21 The Bible is the story of two gardens: Eden and Gethsemane. In the first, Adam took a fall. In the second, Jesus took a stand. In the first, God sought Adam. In the second, Jesus sought God. In Eden, Adam hid from God. In Gethsemane, Jesus emerged from the tomb. In Eden, Satan led Adam to a tree that led to his death. From Gethsemane, Jesus went to a tree that led to our life. [Link]
A good hiding place for your daughter's heart
It has been said that a woman's heart should be so hidden in God that a man should have to seek Him first to find her. Encourage your daughter to be like that. Talk to her about the importance of faith and doing what's right in the Lord's eyes, and encourage her that everything else in life will take care of itself. Hear what Coach Dungy has to say about sharing your faith with your daughter. Huddle up with your daughter tonight and ask her: What do you think of when I say the word God? [Link]
Robert Duvall Finds Fresh Inspiration in Independent Films Like Crazy Heart
In an age where special effects and superheroes reign supreme at the box office, veteran actor and producer Robert Duvall is happily swimming against the tide by developing smaller projects he's passionate about—character-driven fare like Crazy Heart, the redemptive story of washed-up country star Bad Blake. [Link]
Are Preachers Too Silent About Sex?
Evangelical Christians will rightly reject just about everything found in this new report from the Religious Institute, but they should not avoid its urgency in calling pastors and Christian leaders to teach and preach about sex and sexuality. [Link]
Slow Down
“Man . . . heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.” Psalm 39:6, NIV We need one day in which work comes to a screeching halt. We need one twenty-four hour period in which the wheels stop grinding and the motor stops turning. We need to stop . . . Slow down. If God commanded it, you need it. If Jesus modeled it, you need it . . . Take a day to say no to work and yes to worship. [Link]
Make Your Life Rich without Money
It turns out that the old adage is true – the best things in life are free. Here's how you can make your life rich without money. [Link]
Writing Your "Thank You" Letter after an Interview
Taking the time to write a thank you letter or note right after your interview is essential; many employers eliminate candidates who do not take this important step. [Link]
Popular Money Advice You Shouldn't Take
Some financial advice sounds good on paper but can end up costing you more when put into practice. [Link]
Uninspired "Wolfman" is a Howler
With so much going for it, The Wolfman should offer a moody atmosphere, a few good scares and actors who set the right tone for the material. But it turns out the new film is merely "inspired by" the earlier Wolfman—but doesn't exhibit much inspiration at all. [Link]
Despite Buildup, Unhindered Falls Short on Be
Though its intentions are certainly noble and there's no doubt that Teen Mania Ministries' EE-Taow Records' first signees, Unhindered, are sincere, the group's national debut disc Be falls a bit short of the buildup. [Link]
Law Abiding Citizen Hits One of the Year's Low Points
Mixing sexual violence with moments of torture-porn, Law Abiding Citizen is one of the year’s low points at the cinema—an offensive, ugly piece of work that offers no moral nor anything memorable except its sadism. [Link]
Stand out from the stats
According to the National Center for Fathering, 40% of dads never read to their children, 58% never volunteer at their child's school, 77% never have breakfast or lunch with their children at school and 37% never visit their child's classroom. It's possible to do all four at the same time, and encourage other men to do the same, with our All Pro Dad's Day monthly school breakfast program. Watch this moving story about the man who started Dad's Day after he lost his son, and then see Tony Dungy's passion about All Pro Dad's Day.Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: Do you think we get to spend enough time together? [Link]
All Things
“Love . . . bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” I Corinthians 13:4-7, NKJV The apostle is looking for a ribbon to wrap around one of the sweetest paragraphs in Scripture. I envision the leathery-faced saint pausing in his dictation . . . Checking off his fingers, he reviews his list. “Let’s see, patience, kindness, envy, arrogance. We’ve mentioned rudeness, selfishness and anger, forgiveness, evil, and truth. Have I covered all things? Ah, that’s it—all things. Here, write this down. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” [Link]
An Ungoverned God
“God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” I John 3:20 You and I are governed. The weather determines what we wear. The terrain tells us how to travel . . . God—our Shepherd—doesn’t check the weather; He makes it. He doesn’t defy gravity; He created it. God is what He is. What He has always been. God is Yahweh—an unchanging God, an uncaused God, and an ungoverned God. [Link]
An Ungoverned God
“God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” I John 3:20 You and I are governed. The weather determines what we wear. The terrain tells us how to travel . . . God—our Shepherd—doesn’t check the weather; He makes it. He doesn’t defy gravity; He created it. God is what He is. What He has always been.God is Yahweh—an unchanging God, an uncaused God, and an ungoverned God. [Link]
Your father's memory of you
Your father, if he is still alive, is getting on in years. Have you told him lately how much you love and appreciate him? Watch this touching video and be reminded that the older he gets, the more precious his memories of you become to him.Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: What is something special we can do for Grandpa? [Link]
No Such Thing as President's Day?
Washington was, in fact, a Christian. Those who claim he was a deist probably don't know what a deist is. [Link]
We Are the Body: How to Become a Practicing Church
If we're going to be a congregation that does more than come to church and benefit from what the church has to offer, we must learn together how to Embody Our Faith. [Link]
Haiti: Following Jesus through the Eye of the Needle
In 2003 Kent Annan left America behind to live in Haiti, where people wear his cast-off clothing and seek comfort from the heat in the long shadow of his homeland. Here, he shares the experiences of his first few months among Haiti's people. [Link]
Making Up Evangelical History
The idea that Roe v. Wade was not a precipitating factor in the formation of conservative evangelical political engagement serves as a classic example of historic revisionism. [Link]
Mystery and Romance: Does a Christian Marriage Need Them?
Women long for romance but often don't feel their marriages meet their expectations. Hayley DiMarco, author of The Woman of Mystery, shares some common mistakes wives make and how they can reawaken both mystery and romance in their lives. [Link]
Now You Change?
Caroline's husband finally decided to seek help for his destructive behavior. So why is Caroline still mad? Dr. David offers insights into the confusing feelings that often accompany these situations. [Link]
How to Catch Your Kids in a Lie
That first lie told by a three-, four- or five-year-old is a landmark. It's a moment of huge consequence during which a moral code begins to take shape. [Link]
He’s Here
“The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength.” Psalm 138:3, The Message Where is God when we hurt? Where is he when sleep won’t come? Where is he when we awaken in a hospital bed with pain that won’t subside? He’s right here! He hung on the gallows to prove once and for all, with pierced hands and blood-stained face—that he’s here—that he didn’t create the hurt, but he came to take it away. When you hurt, God hurts with you. [Link]
What you didn't know about bracelets
There is a new trend in schools. Some students are wearing jelly bracelets in colors that reveal their level of sexual comfort. All a student has to do is "snap" the bracelet and set a date and time for whatever sexual activity the bracelet represents. One website breaks the colors down as follows:Yellow – indicates the wearer is willing to hugPink – indicates the wearer is willing to give a hickey White – indicates the wearer will flashOf course, some of the other color meanings we can't put in this email, but you can view the full listing here. The point is not to root around and see what color bracelets your children may have (it could be they're not aware of this trend), but for you to be aware of the strong undercurrent of sexuality present in our school systems. You have to talk to your children about the risks and dangers of premarital sex, and you may even want to give them an abstinence ring or bracelet to help remind them to swim above the waves in our culture's sea of sexuality. This insightful article will help you begin the conversation.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: What do you think about getting our kids a purity/abstinence ring? [Link]
All Things
“Love . . . bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” I Corinthians 13:4-7, NKJV The apostle is looking for a ribbon to wrap around one of the sweetest paragraphs in Scripture. I envision the leathery-faced saint pausing in his dictation . . . Checking off his fingers, he reviews his list. “Let’s see, patience, kindness, envy, arrogance. We’ve mentioned rudeness, selfishness and anger, forgiveness, evil, and truth. Have I covered all things? Ah, that’s it—all things. Here, right this down. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” [Link]
To Prove His Love
“In the past God spoke . . . at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” Hebrews 1:1-2, NIV God, motivated by love and directed by divinity, surprised everyone. He became a man. In an untouchable mystery, he disguised himself as a carpenter and lived in a dusty Judean village. Determined to prove his love for his creation, he walked incognito through his own world. His calloused hands touched wounds and his compassionate words touched hearts. He became one of us. [Link]
Mythology Gets a Fun Modern Spin in “Percy Jackson & the Olympians”
Percy Jackson & the Olympians is the story of a misfit kid who just happens to be a demigod living in New York City. [Link]
More Than Forgiveness
“This is my commitment to my people: removal of their sins.” Romans 11:27, The Message God does more than forgive our mistakes; he removes them! We simply have to take them to him. He not only wants the mistakes we’ve made. He wants the ones we are making. Are you making some? . . . If so, don’t pretend nothing is wrong . . . Go first to God. The first step after a stumble must be in the direction of the cross. [Link]
A Likeable Savior
“Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble.” I Peter 3:8, The Message They called Jesus a blasphemer, but they never called him a braggart. They accused him of heresy, but never arrogance. He was branded as a radical, but never unapproachable. There is no hint that he ever used his heavenly status for personal gain. Ever. You just don’t get the impression that his neighbors grew sick of his haughtiness and asked, “Well, who do you think made you God?” His faith made him likeable. [Link]
Valentine's Day: True Love Leaves a Mark
Candy is easy to buy. Giving of ourselves sacrificially and unselfishly costs us something. What action can you perform this Valentines Day that will leave a lasting impression on your loved one's heart? [Link]
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! [Link]
The Cardinal Duet: A Valentine's Day Rumination
Though the female cardinal has skills equally as impressive as the male, she seems content to allow him to sing the lead, to wear the bright-red pants in the family, and to care for both her and their young. [Link]
The Single Life: Surviving the Season of Love
Well, single friends, it has arrived: February, the month of love and romance. My condolences. But seriously, no matter what state your love life (or lack thereof) may be in, this could be a fabulous month for you! In fact, it might just be your best month ever. [Link]
This Valentine's Day, Know the "Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go"
Weeping, a friend once told me that if her marriage was based on nothing more than physical attraction, it would not last. Someone once summed this realization up thusly: "Love starts with a smile – Grows with a kiss – Ends with a tear." [Link]
Star-Studded "Valentine's Day" is Mostly Forgettable Fluff
Appropriately enough, watching Valentine's Day immediately brought those ubiquitous heart-shaped boxes of chocolates to mind—you know the ones where you're never quite sure what's inside until you take a bite. [Link]
Reconnecting with … Chynna & Vaughan
"This is not a preachy record, though there's a very strong message of God,” shares Chynna Phillips, one half of pop duo Chynna & Vaughan. “But there's definitely a theme of redemption, and if we can help one person come to Christ as a result, then we've met our goal." [Link]
New Artist Spotlight: Chasen
In this "New Artist Spotlight," Mike Donehey, lead singer for Tenth Avenue North (GMA's reigning "New Artist of the Year") interviews Chasen Callahan, frontman of new INO recording band Chasen. [Link]
More Than Forgiveness
“This is my commitment to my people: removal of their sins.” Romans 11:27, The Message God does more that forgive our mistakes; he removes them! We simply have to take them to him. He not only wants the mistakes we’ve made. He wants the ones we are making. Are you making some? . . . If so, don’t pretend nothing is wrong . . . Go first to God. The first step after a stumble must be in the direction of the cross. [Link]
An American President, Twitter and your children
One might call former American president John Quincy Adams the founding father of micro-blogging. Adams' journal entries were no longer than the maximum tweet for Twitter – 140 characters. And you can actually sign up for them online. Tweets include "Read 15 chapters in the Bible" to "This afternoon I found the caboose on fire" to "Saw a whale." Whether you decide to follow John Quincy Adams on Twitter is your call, but if your children are on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace etc., it is important that you follow/friend them. If you don't know how, ask them. You'll get a great insight into their life and the lives of their friends. And it's not an invasion of privacy – it's the prerogative of a great parent. To help monitor your children's use of the Internet and social networking sites, and keep them safe online, download our Family Internet Contract. And check out All Pro Dad on Twitter.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: How can I follow/friend you on Twitter and Facebook? [Link]
Does Valentine's Day Make People Forget Jesus' Love?
Jesus said, "Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." This is the truest, purest and greatest form of love. Does the world remember it like it does Valentine's Day? [Link]
Masculinity in a Can, Fight Club at Church, and the Crisis of Manhood
You do not have to look far to find evidence of the fact that males are in trouble in these confused and confusing times. [Link]
Haiti: Moving from Tragedy to Outrage
Ten American citizens, who traveled to Haiti as Christian missionaries, are being held in a fetid prison cell charged with kidnapping and criminal association. Is the U.S. Government rushing to their rescue? Hardly…the reaction of our government has been tepid at best and downright negligent at worst. [Link]
Bringing Haiti Close to Home: A Christian Perspective
A heartbreaking catastrophe like Haiti's could be the very thing that God uses to spiritually invigorate us to take action in our own lives and in the lives of those around us. [Link]
Seeing Business as an Instrument of the Kingdom
Today, being a Christian businessman is almost always reduced to nothing more than personal piety and evangelism in the workplace: “Be good and try to convert your coworkers.” Others may feel that giving a portion of their profits to missions fulfills their business’s missional purpose. While these activities are indeed good, this worldview of business remains inadequate in advancing the all-encompassing redemptive mission of Christ, that is, the kingdom. [Link]
How to Take Advantage of an IRS Loophole
It's not often that the IRS offers tax-paying U.S. citizens a gift, but that's what we get when the IRS allows us to defer taxes on the money we contribute to qualified retirement accounts… [Link]
Resisting Financial Temptations
To paraphrase well-known investor Warren Buffett, if it was simply a matter of gaining enough knowledge, all librarians would be rich. We must also demonstrate the crucial element of self-control. [Link]
A Likeable Savior
“Be agreeable, by sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble.” I Peter 3:8, The Message They called Jesus a blasphemer, but they never called him a braggart. They accused him of heresy, but never arrogance. He was branded as a radical, but never unapproachable. There is no hint that he ever used his heavenly status for personal gain. Ever. You just don’t get the impression that his neighbors grew sick of his haughtiness and asked, “Well, who do you think made you God?” His faith made him likeable. [Link]
Don't get burned
How can you keep your family safe from burn injuries? Know the facts and take precautions. It's National Burn Awareness Week, and a good time to review basic burn safety with your family. Burn injuries are the leading cause of accidental death in the home for children ages 14 and under; and young people ages 13 and older are in the highest at-risk group for gasoline and other flammable substance burns. So protect your young children from scalding injuries, in the bathtub and in the kitchen, educate your kids on the dangers of fire, and talk to your teens and pre-teens about the risks associated with handling flammable materials. Check out the 4 A's of teaching your children about handling fire, and watch what a medical specialist has to say about what to do if your child does get burned. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you know anyone who has been injured while playing with fire? What happened to them? [Link]
True Blessedness
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 NKJV To mourn for your sins is a natural outflow of poverty of spirit . . . Many know they are wrong, yet they pretend they are right. As a result, they never taste the exquisite sorrow of repentance. Of all the paths to joy, this one has to be the strangest. True blessedness, Jesus says, begins with deep sadness. [Link]
God's Flight Plan: My Experience Covering the Story in Haiti
I have come to realize there are no coincidences in God's economy. He is always reminding me that his plan is better than mine. [Link]
Is Dialogue a Basis for Christian Unity?
I have to confess to a certain annoyance with buzz words–warm fuzzy jargon words like "dialogue" and "inclusion." I’m sure at times the annoyance has been of my own creation. They can be perfectly good words after all. But at some point on the I’m-ok-you’re-ok train these words picked up some unwanted baggage. [Link]
Striking Balance between Old and New Can End Worship Wars
There should be no more worship wars among friends. New songs are good, but the old hymns are not bad, and besides, there's evidence to show that too much familiarity breeds discontent. [Link]
Critics' Choice: Top Movies of 2009
Oscar season is upon us and we at Crosswalk.com would feel remiss if we didn't comment on our favorite films of 2009. So as is our custom, the editors and regular movie reviewers of Crosswalk have once again voted. [Link]
The Time Traveler's Wife Gets Lost in Translation
There's plenty that's lost in translation from book to the big screen in The Time Traveler's Wife—like a rhyme or reason to the time travel itself, anything in the way of character development, or depth of human emotion. [Link]
A Serious Man Struggles with an Inscrutable God
A Serious Man is one of the Coen brothers' finest efforts outside No Country for Old Men, explicitly addressing comparable religious questions and issues but adding a serious dose of their trademark humor. The story keeps viewers chuckling until the film's sudden, ominous conclusion. [Link]
True Blessedness
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 NKJV To mourn for your sins is a natural outflow of poverty of spirit . . . Many know they are wrong, yet they pretend they are right. As a result, they never taste the exquisite sorrow of repentance. Of all the paths to joy, this one has to be the strangest. True blessedness, Jesus says, begins with deep sadness. [Link]
What if your child doesn't go to college?
Matthew Crawford has written a best-selling book called Shop Class as Soul Craft, which not only honors the trade industry, but advocates it as a great option for our children. Watch his brief plea, and if your child seems to favor working with his or her hands, see how they can get started after high school. The trades are in hot demand, and can supply a great living and personal fulfillment.Huddle up with your teen tonight and ask: What would you like to do after high school? [Link]
Missionary Zeal, Practical Wisdom and Haitian Orphans
Compassion for the needy and the desire to help are strong emotions that we ought to encourage. But "it is not good to have zeal without knowledge." [Link]
Critics' Choice: Top Movies of 2009
Oscar season is upon us and we at Crosswalk.com would feel remiss if we didn't comment on our favorite films of 2009. So as is our custom, the editors and regular movie reviewers of Crosswalk have once again voted. [Link]
When Your Heart Longs to be Romanced
What if this Valentine's Day you took the man in your life off the hook? What if this year you focused not on your expectations or the disappointment that the "Day of Romance" tends to bring but on the Author of Romance? [Link]
Mere Moral Opprobrium? Far More than Marriage Is on Trial
The case has finally put the issue of same-sex marriage before the federal courts, setting the stage for a landmark decision, either way the judge rules in Perry v. Schwarzenegger. [Link]
Healing After the Breakup
Yesterday I received a frantic call from one of my counseling clients. Cary's wife of fifteen years had left him six months earlier, and he and I had been working tirelessly to save his marriage. [Link]
God Is In Charge
“Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” Matthew 6:13 RSV “Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” What protection this . . . phrase affords. As you confess that God is in charge, you admit that you aren’t. As you proclaim that God has power, you admit that you don’t. And as you give God all the applause, there is none left to dizzy your brain. [Link]
MTV "owns" your kids
Bob Pittman, founder and former president of MTV, made a startling admission in the Philadelphia Inquirer, "The strongest appeal you can make is emotionally. If you can get the kids' emotions going, make them forget their logic, you've got them. At MTV, we don't shoot for the 14-year olds, we own them." We at All Pro Dad beg to differ. God, not MTV, owns our kids and as parents we are stewards of their young lives. And part of this stewardship means guarding what they watch. If you haven't seen what MTV, VH1, BET and other stations are showing lately, please be aware of it – especially if your children enjoy watching them. And even if the shows they enjoy watching are fairly innocent, there is always a better way for them to spend their time.There's more to life than TV. Why not turn off the tube and spend more time interacting with your family. Check out these 10 Tips to Better Family Time.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Have you ever watched MTV, either at home or at a friend's house? What do you think of it? [Link]
No Greater Love: A Life Dedicated to Christ
Many of us have heard the valiant stories of the martyrs of the early Church, but the truth is that more Christians have died for their faith since 1900 than in all the previous centuries of Christendom combined. What better time of year to consider that sort of love than during the month of February, the month of love? [Link]
John Denver's Opportunity Lost?
Finally, I said, "John, when did you make up your mind Jesus Christ would never become your Lord and your Savior?" He could remember the date, the time and the place… [Link]
Anticipating His Return
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me.” John 14:1 Don’t be troubled by the return of Christ. Don’t be anxious about things you cannot comprehend. Issues like the millennium and the Antichrist are intended to challenge and stretch us, but not overwhelm and certainly not divide us. For the Christian, the return of Christ is not a riddle to be solved or a code to be broken, but rather a day to be anticipated. Jesus wants us to trust him. [Link]
Imagine training your whole life for the Olympics
That's what Derek Redmond did. And in 1992 Derek had his chance at gold. He lined up for his track meet. The starting gun fired. He tore past the other runners. But then he fell to the ground. He had pulled a hamstring. He struggled to get up and finish the race. Suddenly, a man appeared by his side. It was his father. He had watched from the stands as his son faltered. He rushed through the crowds and onto the track to help his child. He supported the sobbing athlete… and together… arm-in-arm, they hobbled across the finish line to a standing ovation. Derek's dad was the true champion.Watch Derek's moving video with your kids. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: Do you think I'll always be there for you like Derek's dad was for him? [Link]
What About the R-Word? Does It Matter?
Retard — and the epithet retarded — are destructive, hurtful, and damaging words. When the R-word is used as a put down, it negates the progress made individually and collectively by those within the disability community. [Link]
God and Man at the National Prayer Breakfast
I've long studied the sitting president's remarks at these breakfasts. So let's observe the president's remarks in this historical context, while also not avoiding the current political climate—as Obama certainly did not. [Link]
Congress Cuts Spending… On D.C. Vouchers
Cutting this program is a disgraceful example of how our leaders often pander to special interest groups than protect our most needy citizens. [Link]
God and the Gridiron? Some Cry Foul
Tim Tebow "has become sort of the epitome or exemplar of the engagement between Christianity and big-time sports," said Tom Krattenmaker. [Link]
10 Mistakes Even Good Managers Make
My wife's pretty much the best boss anyone who's ever worked for her has ever had. Here are ten mistakes she's learned that even the best managers sometimes make. [Link]
Six Things We Can Do to Fix This Economy
What can we do, you and I, individually, to turn this economy around? [Link]
How to Take Market Turbulence in Stride
How are we to remain calm when the financial world around us appears to be suffering a bout of temporary insanity? Here are some suggestions. [Link]
Be Merciful
“Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?” Matthew 18:21 The Message The Jewish law stipulated that the wounded forgive three times. Peter is willing to double that and throw in one more for good measure. No doubt he thinks Jesus will be impressed. Jesus isn’t. The Master’s answer still stuns us. “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy time seven.” (Matthew 18:22 The Message). If you’re pausing to multiply seventy times seven, you’re missing the point. Keeping tabs on your mercy, Jesus is saying, is not being merciful. [Link]
A Personal Invitation
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” John 7:37 God is a God who opens the door and waves His hand, pointing pilgrims to a full table. His invitation is not just for a meal, however. It is for life. An invitation to come into His kingdom and take up residence in a tearless, graveless, painless world. Who can come? Whoever wishes. The invitation is at once universal and personal. [Link]
Go To God
“Anyone who is having troubles should pray.” James 5:13 Have you taken your disappointments to God? You’ve shared them with your neighbor, your relatives, your friends. But have you taken them to God? Before you go anywhere else with your disappointments, go to God. [Link]
He Said-She Said: A Lack of Attraction and Pursuit
How important are physical attraction and full-on pursuit when it comes to relationships between men and women? "He" and "She" attempt to answer a very interesting and multifaceted question in this edition of "He Said-She Said." [Link]
Haiti: Adopted for Life . . . and in Death
Arno Pet began life as an orphan, but he ended life as a son. The moving story of a Haitian boy and his adoptive parents — all killed in the earthquake — gives us a powerful depiction of the Gospel. [Link]
The Secret Weapon of Ministry Success
Plan and prepare all you want, but a wide-awake prayer team is vital the success of any ministry or program. [Link]
Peter Marshall: Preaching with a Sanctified Imagination
Peter Marshall often said, "Spirituality is a matter of perception, not proof." [Link]
Even as a Sappy Romance, "Dear John" Doesn't Deliver
If you've read any of Nicholas Sparks' tear-jerking novels or watched the equally swoony big-screen renditions of The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe or Message in a Bottle, you've already got a pretty good idea of what to expect with Dear John. [Link]
Go To God
“Anyone who is having troubles should pray”. James 5:13 Have you taken your disappointments to God? You’ve shared them with your neighbor, your relatives, your friends. But have you taken them to God? Before you go anywhere else with your disappointments, go to God. [Link]
Making the most of the Super Bowl
The big game is this Sunday and All Pro Dad has teamed up with Papa John's to not only provide you a great deal on pizza, but to also offer you Tony's 10 Ways to Enjoy the Big Game with your family. Check them both out and make this Super Bowl Sunday the best ever. Also, while many of the commercials are great, you may want to DVR them. Many Super Bowl commercials aren't appropriate for viewing by youngsters. One of our favorite sports commercials featuring the Manning brothers, is worth looking at again. And to be fair to you Saints fans, here's another SportsCenter commercial classic. [Link]
Absolute Love
“His love has taken over our lives; God’s faithful ways are eternal.” Psalm 117:2 The Message God’s love for you is not dependent on how you look, how you think, how you act, or how perfect you are. His love is absolutely nonnegotiable and nonreturnable. Ours is a faithful God. [Link]
Faced with Scandal, Gayle Haggard Tells Why She Stayed
For Gayle Haggard, the gay sex-and-drug scandal that toppled her husband's ministry was simply "the mountain we had to go over." Her new book describes in candid detail why she stayed. [Link]
The Case against Vanilla
I simply cannot bear plain vanilla when life offers so many other colorful and stimulating flavors. Call it the rebel in me, but a fresh run at life by an untried route will get my vote every time. I'll try to show you why. [Link]
What are we Singing: Friend of God
David spent great amounts of time alone with God in wide, open spaces. During these times, I imagine he came to realize that humanity is not insignificant, but very significant to God. [Link]
11 Paths to Prayer
There are many ways to pray. If you want to connect with God but don't seem to be making contact through the way you usually pray, it could be time for to try a new approach. [Link]
Haiti Earthquake Survivors Ache for Family, Friends
In hospitals, volunteers offer medical care for broken bones and missionaries deliver supplies to help rebuild broken lives. But the catastrophe also has broken apart countless families. [Link]
Should I Get a Christian Tattoo (Even If My Parents Don’t Like It)?
A 19-year old college student writes: "I want to get a tattoo as a measure of accountability for myself … in case the zeal I have for the gospel ever wanes and I’m ever in a place of temptation this will be a reminder of what I know to be true." [Link]
Hijacking the Brain — How Pornography Works
Even as technology has brought new avenues for the transmission of pornography, modern knowledge also brings a new understanding of how pornography works in the male brain. [Link]
Absolute Love
“His love has taken over our lives; God’s faithful ways are eternal.” Psalm 117:2 The Message God’s love for you is not dependent on how you look, how you think, how you act, or how perfect you are. His love is absolutely nonnegotiable and nonreturnable. Ours is a faithful God. [Link]
Would being rich make you happy?
Here is what history's most wealthy men had to say about it:"The care of $200 million is enough to kill anyone. There is no pleasure in it." – W.H. Vanderbilt"I am the most miserable man on earth." – John Jacob Astor"I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness." – John D. Rockefeller"Millionaires seldom smile." – Andrew Carnegie"I was happier when doing a mechanic's job." – Henry Ford"I owned more flocks than anyone before me…I amassed silver and gold for myself…I became greater than anyone…yet everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind." – King Solomon in the book of EcclesiastesBe careful what you wish for. You just might get it.Find out about four fathers who were truly rich in raising extraordinary children.Huddle up tonight and ask your children: Do you think that having a lot of money brings happiness? [Link]
Top 10 Articles of January 2010
Is God mad at Haiti? Does God always speak? How do we really "wrestle in prayer"? Read more about spiritual life, pop culture, and current events in this month's top 10. [Link]
The Tyranny of Tolerance
Democracy can slide into totalitarianism when society's moral foundation erode so badly that people become malleable, and cultural arbiters call the shots. [Link]
Mere Moral Opprobrium? Far More than Marriage Is on Trial
The case has finally put the issue of same-sex marriage before the federal courts, setting the stage for a landmark decision, either way the judge rules in Perry v. Schwarzenegger. [Link]
Answering Christian Arguments for Gay 'Marriage'
If you defend the institution of traditional marriage, are you a homophobe or bible worshipper? A couple of DC area pastors thinbk so… [Link]
Humorous Becca by the Book Moves Briskly
Becca by the Book will have the reader laughing out loud—often! The hilarious dialogue keeps the pace brisk, as you anticipate the next humorous conversation. The author's use of first person opens up even more opportunities for laughs, as the reader enjoys access to Becca's unspoken thoughts and reactions. [Link]
Until the Whole World Hears Ups the Musical Ante
While their hooky pop/rock melodies and made-for-church worship lyrics have maintained an arena-sized audience since day one, Casting Crowns' latest ups the musical ante a bit, with poetic verses and interesting musical riffs. [Link]
John Reuben: Not-So-Trivial Pursuits
Offering insight behind the songs off his latest album, Sex, Drugs and Self-Control, John Reuben delves into the day-to-day of his developing faith and explains how his new home studio recording articulates his spiritual findings. [Link]
A Common Life
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.” Matthew 13:44 When you list the places Christ lived, draw a circle around the town named Nazareth—a single-camel map dot on the edge of boredom. For thirty of thirty-three years, Jesus lived a common life . . . And the town may have been common, but his attention to it was not . . . He saw how a seed on a path took no root (Luke 8:5) and how a mustard seed produced a great tree (Matthew 13:31-32). Jesus listened to his common life. Are you listening to yours? [Link]
Not everyone is doing it
Recent studies show that half of all male high school students are virgins, up from 39 percent in 1990. According to the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, 92 percent of all teens ages 15 to 17 believe that being a virgin in high school is a good thing. Contrary to what some popular television shows indicate, being a teen virgin is cool. If you haven't talked to your pre-teen or teen about the incredible benefits of staying sexually pure, do so tonight.Read one young lady's thoughts on why she will be a virgin until marriage. Huddle up with your teen tonight and ask: Why do you think it's important to wait until marriage for sex? [Link]
The Tyranny of Tolerance
Democracy can slide into totalitarianism when society's moral foundation erode so badly that people become malleable, and cultural arbiters call the shots. [Link]
Mere Moral Opprobrium? Far More than Marriage Is on Trial
The case has finally put the issue of same-sex marriage before the federal courts, setting the stage for a landmark decision, either way the judge rules in Perry v. Schwarzenegger. [Link]
Answering Christian Arguments for Gay 'Marriage'
If you defend the institution of traditional marriage, are you a homophobe or bible worshipper? A couple of DC area pastors thinbk so… [Link]
Leaders build leaders
In 1998, half of all the head coaches in the NFL had either worked directly for Bill Walsh or Tom Landry, or had worked for someone who did. And our very own Coach Tony Dungy has discipled five NFL head coaches. Strong leaders find, cultivate and strengthen future leaders. So, as a father, how are you making your children leaders? Let's hear from Coach Dungy about his strategy.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Name three people you know who are good leaders. [Link]
Haiti, Aid Groups Recover One Day at a Time
"What you try to strive for is that today is better than yesterday and tomorrow will be better than today," said Keith Stiles. "That's all you can focus on." [Link]
Give Me a Book
I am, unashamedly, a book man. You may have expected me to say a “reading” man, which would also be true. As St. Cyprian of Carthage wrote, “Be assiduous in prayer and reading. In the one you speak to God. In the other God speaks to you.” [Link]
God Will Bless The Broken Road
C.S. Lewis once said that “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, "What! You too? I thought I was the only one!" Sadly, many of us bear the wounds of dealing with imperfect people in the dysfunctional little gathering we call church. [Link]
Product Recall: Worthless Worship
May we never come to the place where the joy, wonder, and enthusiasm goes out of our worship. What we do for the Lord Jesus Christ should never be a weariness. [Link]
Inexpensive Ways to Honor Your Spouse this Valentine's Day
Do you need some ideas to make this Valentine's Day one to remember? Marriage experts Bill and Pam Farrel offer a few affordable ideas… [Link]
Seen But Not Heard: The Wisdom of Children
All around us are signs that authority and wisdom are now to be recognized in the young, rather than the old. This is nothing less than a reversal of what previous generations had believed and assumed. [Link]
God Can Use You
“You did not choose me; I chose you.” John 15:16 If you ever wonder how God can use you to make a difference in your world, just look at those he has already used and take heart. Look at the forgiveness found in his open arms and take courage. And, by the way, never were those arms opened so wide as they were on the Roman cross. One arm extending back into history and the other reaching into the future. An embrace of forgiveness offered for anyone who’ll come. [Link]
A brother and a hero
A few years ago, two brothers were playing near the edge of the Mississippi River and climbing up piles of freshly-dredged mud from the river bottom. Tragically, their weight caused a hole to open near the top of a mud dune and both fell in while silt poured all over them. When the boys did not return home at dinnertime, family and neighbors organized a search. They found the younger brother with only his head protruding from the mud mound. When they asked him where his other brother was, he replied, "I'm standing on his shoulders." The older brother had given his life so his younger brother – his best friend – could live.Do you think your son would be able to show such bravery and sacrifice? Find out from Coach Dungy what it takes to mold such young men.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What's the bravest thing you've ever done? [Link]
Spiritual Life
“Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit.” John 3:6 Spiritual life comes from the Spirit! Your parents may have given you genes, but God gives you grace. Your parents may be responsible for your body, but God has taken charge of your soul. You may get your looks from your mother, but you get eternity from your Father, your heavenly Father. [Link]
The 10 Stupidest Leadership Mistakes I've Made
Fortunately, I’ve been able to avoid some mistakes by learning from the mistakes of others. [Link]
The Quest for Mere Christianity
It has been said that evangelical Christians have a “pathological tendency to fragment.” Is there any common ground upon which to unite? In his recent book, Deep Church, Jim Belcher says that there most certainly is. (Read more) [Link]
A Home for Your Heart
I'd like to talk with you about your house – your spiritual house. The grand castle built for your heart. Let's step through the front door and walk around a bit. [Link]
Materialism: Thumos-Numbing
Materialism is like drinking salt water: No matter how much you gulp, you're still thirsty. [Link]
Six Ways to Find Unadvertised Jobs
Looking for a job these days is a lot like participating in a treasure hunt with thousands of other "hunters." You don't want to dig where everyone is digging… [Link]
Boost Your Savings
Have you ever stopped to consider the potential "future value" of the money you spend today? [Link]
Earned Retirement – or Hedonism?
Is the only goal of our working life to get to the point we can stop working? [Link]
Spiritual Life
“Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit.” John 3:6 Spiritual life comes from the Spirit! Your parents may have you given you genes, but God gives you grace. Your parents may be responsible for your body, but God has taken charge of your soul. You may get your looks from your mother, but you get eternity from your Father, your heavenly Father. [Link]
Are you really connected to your kids?
Here's a short test for you Dad: What's your child's favorite TV show? Their favorite movie, musician and magazine? What sites do they visit on the Internet? Name their three best friends. Name their favorite teacher – their least favorite teacher. Five of their Facebook friends. So, how are you doing? Could you answer all of those questions? Could you answer even half? The point is, to be connected to our kids we have to enter their world. We need to know what they like, who they like and what has their attention. So get involved. Start asking questions and get connected.Here is a list of great conversation starters. Huddle up with your kids tonight: Who are your three best friends? Why are they your best friends? [Link]
I Am
“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 NKJV A storm on the Sea of Galilee was akin to a sumo wrestler’s belly flop in a kiddie pool. The northern valley acted like a wind tunnel, compressing and hosing squalls onto the lake. Waves as tall as ten feet were common . . . [Yet] from the center of the storm, the unwavering Jesus shouts “I am.” Tall in the Trade Tower wreckage. Bold against the Galilean waves. ICU, battlefield, boardroom, prison cell or maternity ward—whatever you storm, “I am.” [Link]
God’s Gift To You
“Every perfect gift is from God.” James 1:17 An itinerant preacher from Nazareth can do something for the hurt that is in your heart. Maybe you’re trying to rebuild an estranged relationship . . . Maybe you’ve been trying to find God for longer than you can remember. There was something about this Nazarene preacher that made people cluster around him like he was God’s gift to humanity. He is your gift as well. [Link]
How I Stopped Striving and Started Resting in Him
As I walked in obedience to Psalm 46:10, I began to see God move. All I could do was weep. I had ceased striving, and he had shown himself to be God. [Link]
Haiti: What Should Your Congregation Know and Do?
A pastor in middle America asks a native Haitian for a true picture of his homeland so that his congregation can be briefed on the best ways to help. [Link]
It Happened in Italy: Goodness under the Nazi Evil
While the horrors of concentration camps in Nazi Germany may be familiar, what happened to Jews in concentration camps at the same time in Mussolini's Italy is not. [Link]
Who Cares About “the Will of the People?”
Political authority in this country does not flow from opinion polls, even reliable ones. That deeply affects how we critique health care reform. [Link]
Hope is Alive in Steven Curtis Chapman's Beauty Will Rise
Though Steven Curtis Chapman has always related to his fans, he's never gotten as personal with his extended family of listeners as he does on Beauty Will Rise, his first recording since his daughter died in a tragic accident in 2008. [Link]
Lack of Surprises Withstanding, "When in Rome" Still Plays Cute
While the movie's trailer definitely had that lackluster, made-for-TV feel, perhaps it's the presence of fresh faces Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel, not to mention their winsome chemistry, that caused When in Rome to surpass my expectations. [Link]
Gibson Doesn't Excite in Dull "Edge of Darkness"
Did you enjoy Mel Gibson in Payback or Ransom? He's on that level in Edge of Darkness. It's a decent comeback, if those movies are your idea of a good time. But it's truncated rather than taut, sluggish rather than satisfying, and dull rather than edgy. [Link]
This Is Love
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” I John 4:10 NIV Does God love us because of our goodness? Because of our kindness? Because of our great faith? No, he loves us because of his goodness, kindness, and great faith. John says it like this: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us.” [Link]
A brother and a hero
A few years ago, two brothers were playing near the edge of the Mississippi River and climbing up piles of freshly-dredged mud from the river bottom. Tragically, their weight caused a hole to open near the top of a mud dune and both fell in while silt poured all over them. When the boys did not return home at dinnertime, family and neighbors organized a search. They found the younger brother with only his head protruding from the mud mound. When they asked him where his other brother was, he replied, "I'm standing on his shoulders." The older brother had given his life so his younger brother – his best friend – could live.Do you think your son would be able to show such bravery and sacrifice? Find out from Coach Dungy what it takes to mold such young men.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What's the bravest thing you've ever done? [Link]
The Single Life: A Change of Habit
We tend to think of habits as negative: drugs, drinking and the like. But that's not really fair. Habits allow us to do things without really thinking about them. Is that a bad thing? Well, yes, if what you're doing is destructive. But it can also be useful. [Link]
Ignorance of Christianity Also Means Cultural Ignorance
After centuries of thought, Christians still think Jesus should rule our lives. To deny this knowledge or to hide it would be intellectually dishonest, cowardly, and wrong. [Link]
The Mystery of Evil
The classical problem of the existence of evil has been called the Achilles’ heel of the Christian faith. But have philosophers proven that God cannot simultaneously be all-powerful, loving and good? (Read more) [Link]
The Shack — The Missing Art of Evangelical Discernment
The Shack is now one of the best-selling paperback books of all time, and its readers are enthusiastic. But the theology is not incidental to the story. [Link]
End Defensiveness to Build Intimacy
We have strong desires to look good, protect our ego and assign blame. But in our efforts to save face, we eat away at our marriage's intimacy… [Link]
Healthy Marriages, Healthy Society
I firmly believe that if we strengthen marriages and make traditional marriage a priority, we will keep untold thousands of children from ever going to prison. [Link]
Is Your Teen Depressed?
Compared to high school and college students in the Great Depression era, there are five times as many youth today that suffer from anxiety and mental health issues. What's going on here? [Link]
A Picture of the Spirit
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth.” John 16:13 Envision a father helping his son learn to ride a bicycle, and you will have a partial picture of the Holy Spirit. The father stays at the son’s side. He pushes the bike and steadies it if the boy starts to tumble. The Spirit does that for us; he stays our step and strengthens our stride. Unlike the father, however, he never leaves. He is with us to the end of the age. [Link]
A master in the art of living
Author L.P. Jacks writes, "A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both." Food for thought. We don't have two lives – a work life and a home life. We have one life where home and work constantly intersect and we must strive for excellence in each. You've modeled what a good home life should be like for your kids, but how much have you talked to your children about where they might spend the bulk of their lives – at work. Take a look at these 8 helpful tips about preparing your kids for the world of work. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What kind of job would you like to have when you grow up? [Link]
Committed? Not By a Long Shot
Committed is likely to join Eat, Pray, Love atop the best-seller lists. In any event, the book reveals the vast redefinition of marriage taking place within Western cultures, right before our eyes. [Link]
Obsessed With Beauty
I read with sadness a story about erstwhile singer/actress Heidi Montag. She admitted that she's "obsessed with plastic surgery" after undergoing 10 procedures in one day. Seriously? Only ten makes you obsessed? [Link]
How to Live Liturgically
The calendar on your wall or in your mobile device can be more than just the minute details of life. Learn how liturgy can help you see a continual cycle of God's work in the world. [Link]
Must We Pay to Know Our Credit Scores?
Somewhere between having no clue what your credit score is and paying $16 every few weeks to get a copy of it lies a healthy middle ground. Here are some resources that will help you keep tabs on you credit score… [Link]
Embracing the Cross in Our Marketplace Call
Walking successfully through your season of the cross gives you the authority to minister the message God deposits into your life during that season and to fulfill the purpose for which God created you. [Link]
When One Spouse Travels: 5 Steps for Keeping the Peace
Today's economy is having more of an impact on families than just their income levels. In many cases, one spouse now has to travel in order to get or keep a job. [Link]
He is Eternal
“God is so great, greater than we can understand!” Job 36:26 We may search out the moment the first wave slapped on a shore or the first star burst in the sky, but we’ll never find the first moment when God was God, for there is no moment when God was not God. He has never not been, for He is eternal. God is not bound by time. [Link]
Meeting the man who killed her father
A daughter's love for her father. Love… death… forgiveness… redemption. Watch this moving video and journey with a Vietnam veteran as he returns a priceless treasure to the daughter of a Vietnamese soldier he killed in battle.Huddle up with your daughter tonight and say: I love you, and you're beautiful. [Link]
Haiti, My Beloved
Dr. Louima Lilite, Haitian native, music minister and Christian university professor, was in Haiti during the earthquake on January 12. He shares his unique perspective on the before-and-after, his pain… and his joy. [Link]
“Like the Air They Breathe” — The Online Life of Kids
Now, however, there is good reason to believe that these young people are far more connected than we have even imagined. [Link]
Shorting Special Needs: Utilitarianism and Budget Cuts
Many schools who received federal funding for specifically marked for special education programs are "redirecting" the funds to other uses. [Link]
Remembering Roe: A Forgotten Warning from Reagan
Reagan's remarks, made in July 1987 to pro-life leaders, are prescient in light of the widening abortion abyss we face under the Obama administration and Pelosi-Reid Congress. [Link]
Love Burns True in Jane Campion's Bright Star
Jane Campion has made a career off of tortured love stories, yet Bright Star is different (even opposite, and superior). Her past films have been about tortured people who destroy their circumstances. This, conversely, is a bittersweet arc of pure people who are tragically tortured by circumstances. [Link]
Girl Power Is Alive and Skating in Whip It
Conventional or not, Whip It is still fun to watch, thanks to Drew Barrymore’s surprisingly skilled direction, a killer soundtrack and a winning cast that definitely seems to enjoy throwing themselves into their respective roles. [Link]
Accept Any and All Substitutes for Surrogates
Rather than develop the more cerebral aspects of the story in the rushed, 88 minutes of Surrogates, director Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3) substitutes action where thoughtful dialogue and exposition would have been more helpful. [Link]
Acts of Love
“God’s business is putting things right.” Psalm 11:7 The Message We don’t see Jesus settling many disputes or negotiating conflicts. But we do see him cultivating inward harmony through acts of love: Washing the feet of men he knew would betray him. Honoring the sinful woman whom society had scorned. He built bridges by healing hurts. [Link]
Cohabitation is a bad idea
Many young couples will take a "test drive" before they get married, and will live together. Studies show that contrary to popular wisdom, cohabitating actually increases the chances the couple will get a divorce. Why? Because living apart until the marriage covenant is sealed teaches patience and self-restraint. These two attributes are a must-have in order for a marriage to flourish. So if you haven't talked to your teen about the pitfalls of cohabitation, take a look at this informative article, and then talk to them tonight. Huddle up and ask your teen tonight: Why is it a bad idea for a couple to live together before they are married? [Link]
A New Name
“I will also give to each one who wins the victory a white stone with a new name written on it.” Revelation 2:17 You may not have known it, but God has a new name for you. When you get home, he won’t call you Alice or Bob or Juan or Geraldo. The name you’ve always heard won’t be the one he uses. When God says he will make all things new, he means it. You will have a new home, a new body, a new life, and you guessed it, a new name. [Link]
Tim Tebow to Star in Pro-Life Super Bowl Ad
The Heisman Trophy winner and his mother will be featured in a Pro-Life television commercial scheduled to run during the Super Bowl on CBS-TV on Sunday, Feb. 7. [Link]
Pastor, Ask Something Great From Us
Generality is the curse of modern sermons. So never forget that you are engaging in big things, matters involving Almighty God and the beloved, fallen people for whom Jesus Christ died. [Link]
Why Don't We Just Pick Up the Phone?
If this seems petty to you, it shouldn't. A single poor staff hire can devastate most churches, squandering Kingdom resources and setting back progress for months if not years. [Link]
It Takes the Church to Save Our Marriages
It is the first institution created by God; the structure under which children thrive; the basic building block of every civil society; and the relationship in which men and women complete each other. Yet, it is often the institution most forgotten by the Christian church. [Link]
Do Separated Spouses Belong in Singles Groups?
Are Christian singles groups safe havens or toxic environments for spouses going through separation? Dr. David responds to a confused husband. [Link]
Forgotten Fathers: Men Suffer After an Abortion, Too
The media — and pro-lifers, too, for that matter — focus on abortion as being just a woman's issue. But abortion is not just about women and babies. [Link]
The Single Life: A Change of Habit
We tend to think of habits as negative: drugs, drinking and the like. But that's not really fair. Habits allow us to do things without really thinking about them. Is that a bad thing? Well, yes, if what you're doing is destructive. But it can also be useful. [Link]
A New Name
“I will also give to each one who wins the victory a white stone with a new name written on it.” Revelation 2:17 You may not have known it, but God has a new name for you. When you get home, he won’t call you Alice or Bob or Juan or Geraldo. The name you’ve always heard won’t be the one he uses. When God says he will make all things new, he means it. You will have a new home, a new body, a new life, and you guessed it, a new name. [Link]
Like father, like son
You've heard of John Wilkes Booth – the assassin who killed President Lincoln. What you may not know is that John's father, Junius, threatened the life of President Andrew Jackson years before. He wrote Jackson a letter and called him a "scoundrel" and threatened to burn the President "at the stake in the city of Washington." It's no wonder that the seeds Junius planted in John later came to bear terrible fruit.While most fathers don't teach their children to be assassins, they do model for them more common shortcomings like alcoholism, workaholism, pornography, abusive speech or behavior, or countless others. Remember, your kids will do what's caught, not taught. Live your life in a way your children will want to emulate. Find out why.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What's the best thing you've seen me do? What's the worst? [Link]
Tailor-Made
“Receive the kingdom God has prepared for you since the world was made.” Matthew 25:34 The problem with this world is that it doesn’t fit. Oh, it will do for now, but it isn’t tailor-made. We were made to live with God, but on earth we live by faith. We were made to live forever, but on this earth we live but for a moment. We were made to live holy lives, but this world is stained by sin. This world wears like a borrowed shirt. Heaven will fit like one tailor-made. [Link]
He Meets Your Needs
“Don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries.” Matthew 6:34 God liberated his children from slavery and created a path through the sea. He gave them a cloud to follow in the day and fire to see at night. And he gave them food . . . Each morning the manna came. Each evening the quail appeared. “Trust me. Trust me and I will give you what you need.” The people were told to take just enough for one day. Their needs would be met, one day at a time. [Link]
"The Tooth Fairy" Doesn't Offer Much to Smile About
If you think the sight of The Rock in a pink tutu and oversized sparkly wings is funny, well, The Tooth Fairy is the movie for you. After all, the screenwriters get a lot of mileage out of seeing the former wrestler play a has-been hockey star forced to reveal his softer, fairy side. [Link]
Tomorrow We March: Showing Compassion for the Unseen
The March for Life is so astounding because there is no individual face to stir emotions. How can the heart feel what the eye cannot see, as the Haitian proverb says? [Link]
Live With Haiti In Your Heart
There's deep theology here, an ocean of questions and answers that leave us in one of two places: wondering where God is in the midst of suffering, or wondering at the mystery of this God who works all things—including suffering—for good. [Link]
"God Only Cries for the Living": Lyrical Musings on Tragedy in Haiti
Images from Haiti have been heartbreaking. A missionary from a church near my home was one of the victims pulled from under the debris. I heard a song this week reminding me how temporary life is not just in Haiti, but everywhere. [Link]
"Extraordinary Measures" Improves on TV-Movie Plot
Extraordinary Measures is helped immensely by an affecting lead performance from Brendan Fraser as John Crowley, and by the inclusion of faith elements (however briefly mentioned) that put a little air under the story's wings. [Link]
Concert Experience Captured on Jeremy Camp's Live
Live certainly serves as a good faux-greatest hits and a nice filler between studio recordings. But it is an album mainly for Jeremy Camp fans—of which there are plenty and who should be happy with this more "in-person" experience. [Link]
Faith-Based Music: Critics' Picks 2009
From Leeland's Love Is on the Move to Switchfoot's Hello Hurricane to Jars of Clay'sThe Long Fall Back to Earth and more, these are our choices for the best faith-based albums of 2009. Read on and see if some of your favorites are listed, too. [Link]
God Does Strange Things
“You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you.” Isaiah 26:3 Have you got God figured out? If so, then listen . . . Hear the rocks meant for the adulterous woman drop to the ground . . . Listen to the widow of Nain eating dinner with her son who is supposed to be dead . . . God . . . doing the strangest of things. Stretching smiles where there had hung only frowns. Placing twinkles where there were only tears. [Link]
The last words you'll hear
On the eve of the 1956 World Series, 78-year-old Albert Von Tilzer was watching the Ed Sullivan show, and smiled just a bit as the band played "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Albert had composed that song 48 years earlier. Later that night, Albert headed for a greener center field in heaven. The last words he ever heard on this earth were the lyrics he composed a half century earlier.What will be the last words you hear before you pass on? Will it be the lonely, sterile sounds at the local hospital? Or will it be a symphony of love from your wife and children as they circle your bed, thanking you for a wonderful life? Live with your end in mind and your priorities will always be right.Here's what Coach Tony Dungy has to say on that subject.Huddle up tonight and ask your children: What is one memory you will have of me 50 years from now? [Link]
Playing It SAFE: Bringing Spending under Control
My great-grandchildren haven’t been born yet—but they’re up to their chubby little cheeks in debt. [Link]
What Do We Do About Haiti?
What can any one of us do to help Haiti when we are sitting over here in our warm houses in front of a computer with our beverage of choice nearby and our healthy kids playing in the next room? A couple things… [Link]
American Idol: Distorted Dreams and Grand Illusions
A poll by the Pew Research Center reveals that "eighty-one percent of 18- to 25-year-olds… said getting rich is their generation's most important life goal." [Link]
Sex on TV: It's Increasingly Uncut — and Unavoidable
Viewers are about to see full-frontal male nudity, heterosexual, homosexual and group sex, and graphic scenes rarely — if ever — seen on mainstream TV. [Link]
Give us Faith So We'll Be Safe: A Theological and Pastoral Response to the Tragedy in Haiti
How do we who call ourselves followers of the Lord of life respond to the chilling report that "40,000 bodies have been buried and there could be 200,000 dead in Haiti"? That paralyzing news is what we heard from the report of Shepherd Smith of Fox News on this date.[1] The earthquake in Haiti that has shaken the tiny Caribbean nation to death also is shaking our consciences and our souls with questions. [Link]
Playing It SAFE: Bringing Spending under Control
My great-grandchildren haven’t been born yet—but they’re up to their chubby little cheeks in debt. [Link]
Reasons Not To Budget
If you've resisted the idea of establishing a personal budget in the past, perhaps you're clinging to one or more of these favorite reasons not to budget. [Link]
Actions Speak Loudest in Job Interviews and in Life
What message would your life send to those around you today even if you didn’t open your mouth? [Link]
God Leads Us
“You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.” Matthew 6:27 Anxiety is an expensive habit. Of course, it might be worth the cost if it worked. But it doesn’t. Our frets are futile. Worry has never brightened a day, solved a problem, or cured a disease. God leads us. God will do the right thing at the right time. And what a difference that makes. [Link]
Don't let go of hope
Watch this clip from The Shawshank Redemption, and remember that no matter how hard your circumstances are right now, no one can take away your hope. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What do you think hope is? [Link]
11 Steps for Studying the Bible in Community
Here's how the Holy Spirit can help you can interpret the Bible as part of a community of believers. You'll be surprised how much more you get out of the Bible beyond individual study. [Link]
Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser Go to Extraordinary Measures
Considering the wide range of iconic characters Harrison Ford has played over the course of his 40-year acting career, even he likes to switch things up every once in a while. Signing up for Extraordinary Measures, both as an actor and executive producer, was a welcome opportunity to "try something new." [Link]
11 Steps for Studying the Bible in Community
Here's how the Holy Spirit can help you can interpret the Bible as part of a community of believers. You'll be surprised how much more you get out of the Bible beyond individual study. [Link]
Ignorance of Christianity Also Means Cultural Ignorance
After centuries of thought, Christians still think Jesus should rule our lives. To deny this knowledge or to hide it would be intellectually dishonest, cowardly, and wrong. [Link]
The Link: Religious Liberty and Global Security
The end of 2009 brought horrifyingly fresh reminders that the threat to the West from Islamic extremists may get worse before it gets better. [Link]
Helping Kids Make Sense of Haiti
To think of the loss in Haiti hurts our grownup hearts. Would you understand if I said I think we should let it hurt our children's hearts, too? [Link]
Surprise Child: Finding Joy in Unplanned Pregnancy
When you hear the words "crisis pregnancy," you probably picture an unmarried teenager. But up to 60 percent of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned… [Link]
Facing the New Year Alone: Practical Advice for Widows and Widowers
As I approach the beginning of a new year, I reflect on the fact that it has been over three years since I faced the trauma of losing my beloved husband of 37 years to Lou Gehrig's Disease… [Link]
The Purpose In Our Pain
“Your faith makes you offer your lives as a sacrifice in serving God.” Philippians 2:17 When we face struggles, we often wonder, Why? Years from now, though, we may realize that it was those struggles that taught us something we could not have otherwise learned—that there was a purpose in our pain. God’s purpose is greater than your pain, and he has a greater purpose than your problems. [Link]
The power of flowers
Dads, want to help your relationship with your daughter bloom? Research shows that most women love to get flowers. So make a point to send flowers to your daughter. That's right, have flowers delivered to her . . . at school, at work, or even if she is married and lives in another town. And it doesn't have to be her birthday or a holiday. Just send along a card telling her you love her, and watch the power of flowers work for you both!What five things does a daughter really want from her dad? Find out here. Huddle up with your daughter tonight and ask: Would you like to go out on a "date" this weekend? Where would you like to go? [Link]
11 Steps for Studying the Bible in Community
Here's how the Holy Spirit can help you can interpret the Bible as part of a community of believers. You'll be surprised how much more you get out of the Bible beyond individual study. [Link]
Ignorance of Christianity Also Means Cultural Ignorance
After centuries of thought, Christians still think Jesus should rule our lives. To deny this knowledge or to hide it would be intellectually dishonest, cowardly, and wrong. [Link]
The Link: Religious Liberty and Global Security
The end of 2009 brought horrifyingly fresh reminders that the threat to the West from Islamic extremists may get worse before it gets better. [Link]
God Loves What Is Right
“Love . . . does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.” I Corinthians 13:6 NASB Isn’t it good to know that even when we don’t love with a perfect love, God does? He always nourishes what is right. He always applauds what is right. He has never done wrong, led one person to do wrong, or rejoiced when anyone did wrong. For he is love, and love “does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.” [Link]
Redemption Television: Chris Seay on The Gospel According to LOST
The author of The Gospel According to LOST stops by to explain why he relates to series hero Jack Shephard, how the show turned the Gilligan's Island survivor model on its ear, and how LOST can be used to engage others in conversations about faith, salvation, and redemption. [Link]
Why Our Happiness is So Sad
Jesus is a disruptive bother to the yet-to-be redeemed soul and to the soul in the process of renewal. [Link]
It's Time to Start Confessing Good Things about Yourself!
What kind of things do you say about yourself? I used to be so hyper-critical of myself that one day the Holy Spirit spoke to me about it… [Link]
Keep Your Cool When Your Anger is Hot
If you direct the fiery emotion of anger in the right way, it can motivate you to accomplish something good. But if you let it burn out of control, its flames will damage your life and relationships with others… [Link]
Finance Q&A: How Much Should You Invest in Your IRA?
Dear Deborah: Is it best to invest in my IRA throughout the year or closer to the April 15 deadline? Should I always invest the maximum amount? [Link]
Don't Let Mistakes Set You Back
Minor problems grow into major problems. The antidote is to correct the small mistakes as they occur… [Link]
Is Secular Work Valued by God?
Have you ever thought about the fact that the Savior of the world worked in His earthly father's "secular" carpentry business for the majority of His life? What does that say about God's view of daily work? [Link]
Have you lost that lovin' feeling?
Have your passionate, romantic feelings for your wife somewhat subsided after a few years of marriage? You're not alone. In fact, it happens to almost every man. Recent scientific research shows the romantic feelings you and your wife had as newlyweds cannot physically last in the brain long term. It would fry the neural circuits. But most people interpret the loss of that lovin' feeling as a sign they married the wrong person. It's not true. And that philosophy is why the divorce rate is higher for second and third marriages.True love is an act of the will, regardless of feelings. It's putting the other person first regardless of our emotional state. So our task is to create situations to rekindle romance, like candlelight dinners and walks on the beach; but it can also be found in simple things like a hand-written note, or doing a load of laundry without being asked. And, it might mean putting a little zest back in your regular "date night" that both you and your wife can look forward to. Here's how! Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: What would you like to do this weekend? [Link]
God Loves What Is Right
“Love . . . does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.” I Corinthians 13:6 NASB Isn’t it good to know that even when we don’t love with a perfect love, God does? He always nourishes what is right. He always applauds what is right. He has never done wrong, led one person to do wrong, or rejoiced when anyone did wrong. For he is love, and love “does not rejoice with unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. [Link]
Sin, Civil Rights, and Missions: MLK Day Reflections
Martin Luther King and most of the other great black leaders were cut from a different cloth, one that recognized the biblical doctrine of human depravity as a great antidote to racism, since it makes it harder for us to view others humans—whatever race—as less advantaged before God. [Link]
He Loved It
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 NKJV Of all we don’t know about creation, there is one thing we do know—God did it with a smile. He must’ve had a blast. Painting the stripes on the zebra, hanging the stars in the sky, putting the gold in the sunset. What creativity! Like a whistling carpenter in his workshop, he loved every bit of it. He poured himself into the work. So intent was his creativity that he took a day off at the end of the week just to rest. [Link]
Keep Your Cool When Your Anger is Hot
If you direct the fiery emotion of anger in the right way, it can motivate you to accomplish something good. But if you let it burn out of control, its flames will damage your life and relationships with others… [Link]
Does God Hate Haiti?
The images streaming in from Haiti look like scenes from Dante's Inferno. The scale of the calamity is unprecedented. In many ways, Haiti has almost ceased to exist. [Link]
Eight Summarizing Words on the Gospel
The gospel is not a narrow set of facts or mere formula to gain entrance to heaven. It is a broad category that holds much of the Bible together—taking people from alienation from God all the way through conversion and discipleship to the new heaven and earth. [Link]
Change or Die
Iin many congregations, leaders often resist any measure that would enable their congregation to have a dynamic future. [Link]
Walk-Away Wives: Are Husbands Always at Fault?
Many men (and women) are abandoned with little of the reason for it pertaining to the marriage. There are many other dynamics at play. Let's reflect on a few of them… [Link]
"Just" a Homemaker?
We know that being the homemaker is not all roses and rainbows or June Cleaver doing her housework in a perfectly pleated dress, pearls, make-up and hair. But what we do counts for far more than the "image" that the power suits imply… [Link]
When One Spouse Travels: 5 Steps for Keeping the Peace
Today's economy is having more of an impact on families than just their income levels. In many cases, one spouse now has to travel in order to get or keep a job. [Link]
A boy's lost sight helps us see
A young fan of the USC Trojans lost his sight recently, but helped head coach Pete Carroll, his team, and the rest of us see a lot more clearly about what is truly important in life. Watch and admire the courage of this young warrior; and take a moment to give thanks for your sight.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What does courage mean to you? [Link]
You Have A Choice
“I expect and hope . . . to show the greatness of Christ in my life here on earth, whether I live or die.” Philippians 1:20 It would have been nice if God had let us order life like we order a meal. I’ll take good health and a high IQ. I’ll pass on the music skills but give me a fast metabolism . . . Would’ve been nice. But it didn’t happen. When it came to your life on earth, you weren’t given a voice or a vote. But when it comes to life after death, you were. In my book, that seems like a good deal. Wouldn’t you agree? [Link]
He Was Like You
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14 NKJV Jesus went to great pains to be as human as the guy down the street. He didn’t need to study, but he still went to the synagogue. He had no need for income, but he still worked in the workshop . . . And upon his shoulders rested the challenge of redeeming creation, but he still took time to walk ninety miles from Jericho to Cana to attend a wedding. As a result, people liked him. [Link]
Even Jackie Chan's Charms Wear Thin in Humorless "Spy Next Door"
Ever seen Kindergarten Cop? How about The Pacifier, Daddy Day Care or Are We There Yet? Basically, if you answer yes to any of these, well, then you can safely skip The Spy Next Door, as it's essentially the same pseudo family-friendly movie, only far, far less entertaining. [Link]
Is God Mad At Haiti?
I am blessed by the incredible response by churches and Christian ministries across America to the suffering souls in Haiti. But sadly a big part of the media coverage is focusing on some remarks by a television commentator. [Link]
Unprotected and Unnoticed: Christians in Muslim Lands
Americans might be hard-pressed to know how difficult things are for our brethren living in Muslim lands. That’s because “the press just…doesn’t get religion.” [Link]
Thinking Green — The New Religion
Religious faith and fervor have not disappeared in the modern world — as some have noted, the secularists have simply turned to ecology. [Link]
The Calling of Christian Writers
Tolstoy, Tolkein, Lewis, and O'Connor… these were great writers because of their Christian faith, not in spite of it. Is God calling you to tell a story? [Link]
Denzel Washington is a Man on a Mission in The Book of Eli
For Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington, the son of a Pentecostal minister of 50 years, the opportunity to play a faith-filled character was something close to his heart, especially since one of The Book of Eli's prevalent themes is that "God is love." [Link]
Heartbreak Overshadowed by Special Effects in "The Lovely Bones"
Those hoping for glimpses of Peter Jackson's stunning foray into dream-like drama with 1994's Heavenly Creatures will be sorely disappointed in The Lovely Bones. Not only does it lack the book's emotional gravitas, but the choice of garish, Cirque du Soleil visuals end up downplaying the story's real focus. [Link]
Think you've had a rough day at work?
In 1912, while campaigning in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Theodore Roosevelt was shot by saloonkeeper John Schrank in a failed assassination attempt. Determined to still give his speech, Roosevelt proceeded to unleash a fiery oratory with a bullet still in his chest. After he was done, Roosevelt was rushed to the hospital where doctors treated the wound but deemed it too dangerous to remove the bullet. Roosevelt carried this lead souvenir in his lungs around with him the rest of his life.Obviously, Roosevelt was very passionate about his work. And so is Tony Dungy. Watch Coach talk about how to recognize your God-given gifts, and use them in a vocation you find meaningful.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: If you could choose an occupation for me, what would it be and why? [Link]
You Need A Savior
“What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Luke 18:27 NIV The rich young ruler thought heaven was just a payment away. It only made sense. You work hard, pay your dues, and “zap”—your account is credited as paid in full. Jesus said, “No way.” What you want costs way more than you can pay. You don’t need a system, you need a Savior. You don’t need a resume, you need a Redeemer. For “what is impossible with me is possible with God.” [Link]
Ministries Unsure What Awaits in Haiti Quake Aftermath
Various ministries are regrouping and beginning relief efforts following Haiti's massive 7.0 earthquake, though authorities are still piecing together the big picture. [Link]
Prayer or Gossip?
How much do we really need to know about a person's needs or a particular situation in order to pray effectively? The question, "How may I pray for you?" is part of the litany in Prayers for Healing, Laying on of Hands and Anointing with Oil. We are encouraged in the Scripture to be forthright with our brothers and sisters in Christ regarding sins to be confessed and other needs. [Link]
How Can We Have an Awakened Heart?
Many people are losing heart in these days. Trials overwhelm them and situations in life threaten to distract, discourage, and disillusion. But God wants us to have a heart fully alive and filled with his destiny and plans. [Link]
10 Easy Ways to Get Organized
Develop these ten habits for a more organized, frugal life. [Link]
Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
Many of us have become content in our singleness. We may be living a successful, honorable, and spiritual life, we may still feel unsettled. The reason is because we were created to live a life representative of and devoted to Jesus, who we serve, not the world. [Link]
Warning: January Can Be Hazardous to Your Wealth!
Perhaps you've never considered it, but the beginning of each new year is an especially dangerous time for you as an investor. [Link]
Matthew Mooney wins Wilbur Dungy award
Matthew Mooney – an outstanding All Pro DadMatthew Mooney was the winner of our 2009 All Pro Dad Wilbur L. Dungy Award. Find out why by watching his moving story. And then view Coach Tony Dungy's interview with him. We congratulate Matt and all the other All Pro Dads out there who truly do put their faith and family first. [Link]
Knowing God in Times of Risk
Even with God, risk really means risk, and it can cost us all we have. But when we take risks with God, we gain all He has. [Link]
Let Him
“Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.” I Corinthians 14:1 The Message Loosen up. Don’t you have some people to hug, rocks to skip, or lips to kiss? . . . It’s time to retire. Not from your job, just retire from your attitude. Honestly, has complaining ever made the day better? Has grumbling ever paid the bills? Has worrying about tomorrow ever changed it? Let someone else run the world for a while. [Link]
How Dare He? Brit Hume's Daring Advice to Tiger Woods
What set the commentariat's teeth on edge was Hume's suggestion that Woods' best chance for recovery lies with faith—and specifically, the Christian faith. [Link]
How to Reach Your Full Potential for God
Are you excited about your life? Or do you feel as if you are merely existing? Are you moving with confidence toward a desired goal? Or do you feel as if you are drifting along from day to day without any sense of purpose or direction? [Link]
How to Attract New People to Your Church Right Away
Are unbelievers regularly visiting your church and coming to Christ as a result? Through outward focus on doing God's work you can attract new people and get your church to Ignite. [Link]
Mind of a Soldier Explored Inside The Hurt Locker
Key to the success of the The Hurt Locker is that its agenda is neither pro-war nor anti-war. Instead, the film is a look at the psychology of the men who go to war, and especially of those who willingly take part in the most dangerous aspects of conflict. [Link]
Any Excited LOST Fans Out There?
Swim on over to our "Christian look at pop culture" site TheFish.com to join me as I run a marathon to recap the first five seasons of LOST, including how it relates to Christianity and religious themes. [Link]
Heaven & Earth Delivered Beautifully by Wickham
Phil Wickham's musings of the "now and not yet" on Heaven & Earth should spark a special chord in today's Christian music scene. It's not that what he has to say has never been said before; it has just rarely been delivered as beautifully. [Link]
The worst word in the English language
Michael Jordan once commented that the word "if" is the worst word in the English language. Think about it. We spend so much time worrying… "if I lose my job" or "if I get sick" or "if my child does drugs." Or, as Mark Twain supposedly said, "The worst things that ever happened to me never happened." Anxiety is a thief that steals our present. So what is the antidote to worry? Faith. Believing that God has all things under control, and that everything works out for the best is essential to combating fear. So if anxiety has gotten the best of you lately, take a long walk and pray to Him who works everything together for good, and has promised peace that passes understanding.How does Tony Dungy stay so calm in anxious situations? Find out here.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Does worrying accomplish anything? How can we worry less as a family? [Link]
He Will Come For Us
“I will come back and take you to be with me.” John 14: 3 We don’t know when Christ will come for us. We don’t know how he will come for us. And we really don’t know why he would come for us . . . Most of what we have is faith. Faith that he has ample space and a prepared place, and at the right time, he will come so that we can be where he is. He will do the taking. It’s up to us to do the trusting. [Link]
Three Proclamations
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.” Romans 15:7 NIV Grace makes three proclamations. Dealing with my sins is God’s responsibility. I repent, I confess, but only God can forgive. (And he does.) . . . Dealing with my neighbor is God’s responsibility. I must speak; I must pray. But only God can convince. (And he does.) . . . God loves me and makes me his child. God loves my neighbor and makes him my brother. [Link]
Why Our Happiness is So Sad
Jesus is a disruptive bother to the yet-to-be redeemed soul and to the soul in the process of renewal. [Link]
The Mirage of Peace: A Conversation with David Aikman
Bestselling author and former TIME correspondent David Aikman talks with Crosswalk.com about his new book, peace in Israel, the land’s forgotten Christians, and what American Christians are missing in the debate. [Link]
The Winter of Discontent: America's Mood with Washington
Not since the dark days of Watergate and Vietnam do I don't recall a time when the American people were more pessimistic. I'm referring to the utter lack of confidence in our government. [Link]
NewsNote: The Death of a Feminist
Radical theologian Mary Daly died last Sunday at age 81, ending one of the most interesting and tragic careers in contemporary theology. [Link]
Unplugging Pornography: Helping Your Teen Escape the Trap
I communicate on a regular basis with teens who struggle with addiction to porn. These are not oddball, sadistic, perverted teens but everyday, honor-roll, churchgoing, love-their-parents, striving-to-live-for-Jesus teens. [Link]
Of Marathons and Marriage
Running a marathon has some lessons for marriage. No matter how easy things are in the beginning, there are going to be difficult periods… [Link]
The Three Generation Family: Is It Gone?
It’s worth asking: what are we losing when most of our children can’t contemplate going “over the river and through the woods” to grandmother’s house? [Link]
Three Proclamations
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.” Romans 15:7 NIV Grace makes three proclamations. Dealing with my sins is God responsibility. I repent, I confess, but only God can forgive. (And he does.) . . . Dealing with my neighbor is God’s responsibility. I must speak; I must pray. But only God can convince. (And he does.) . . . God loves me and makes me his child. God loves my neighbor and makes him my brother. [Link]
Are you only half-listening?
Well guys, science has proven that most men really aren't good listeners. An Indiana University researcher found in a new study that men listen with only half their brains while women use both sides. So men, is it hopeless? Nope. But it means we'll have to try twice as hard as women. Concentrate on what your wife is saying, and resist the urge to interrupt. Good listening, like good speaking, is an art that must be learned and an invaluable treasure in marriage.Not listening is one of many factors that could ultimately end a marriage. Read this helpful article to gain some better listening skills. Huddle up with your wife tonight and say: Let's go for a walk. I want to hear what's going on in your life. [Link]
He Calls Your Name
“The Son of Man came to find lost people and to save them.” Luke 19:10 NCV God will do what it takes—whatever it takes—to bring his children home. He is the shepherd in search of His lamb. His legs are scratched, His feet are sore, and His eyes are burning. He scales the cliffs and traverses the fields. He explores the caves. He cups His hands to His mouth and calls into the canyon. And the name He calls is yours. [Link]
Honor your father and mother
Here's a creative way to pay tribute to your father or mother – or both. In academic circles, a festschrift is a book honoring a respected person, and presented to them to recognize their life's work. Why not use this same concept to honor your mother or father? Secretly put a scrapbook together, with the help of your wife and kids, and present it to your parent(s) on an upcoming birthday or holiday. Include their childhood photos, report cards, wedding pictures, family vacations, birth certificates, etc. Have each person in your family write a note of appreciation or share a favorite memory. Honor a life lived well with your own family festschrift.You may also want to interview your father or mother a few months before you present them with the book, to give you an outline of what to include. Here's how to conduct a family heritage interview.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: Would you help me do something special for Grandma or Grandpa? [Link]
N. Korea Named Worst Persecutor for 8th Year
North Korea again ranked number one on the Open Doors annual World Watch List (WWL). The ongoing crackdown on Christians in Iran bumped that country from the third on the list to second. [Link]
The Power of Words and the Wonder of God
The tongue is a powerful force—for good or evil. So how might our churches, homes, and culture change if we used words with Christian intentionality and eloquence? [Link]
Trust at My Doorstep
I have faced quite a few threatening tomorrows, and I have battled fear and anxiety as resilient foes. Perhaps you have fought this same battle. [Link]
The Power of Friendship
Sometimes, it is in the honest sharing of your heart that someone else can give you the wisdom to endure, especially in ministry. [Link]
Getting in Shape in 2010: Taking a "Fiscal Health Day”
When New York Times personal-finance writer Ron Lieber was furloughed for a few days, he had an idea: if he used one of his days to take care of long-languishing tasks related to his own personal finances, perhaps his unpaid time could actually pay off. [Link]
Hope When You Have Nothing
Hope or optimism is not about denying reality; it’s about seeing the possibilities for creating a better reality than you currently have. [Link]
Strike a Fiscal Balance With Your Grown Children
Giving my boys all I can to make their lives perfect would deprive them of the joy of making it on their own, that feeling of accomplishment that comes when we figure out how to get through life's difficult situations. [Link]
Leave It At The Cross
“Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3:18 NIV The path of righteousness is a narrow, winding trail up a steep hill. At the top of the hill is a cross. At the base of the cross are bags. Countless bags full of innumerable sins. Calvary is the compost of guilt. Would you like to leave yours there as well? [Link]
Ask God
“Ask, and God will give it to you. Search, and you will find.” Matthew 7:7 Countless copies of Scripture sit unread on bookshelves and nightstands simply because people don’t know how to read it. What can we do to make the Bible real in our lives? The clearest answer is found in the words of Jesus. “Ask and God will give it to you.” The first step in understanding the Bible is asking God to help us. [Link]
Nothing Good Apart from Him…
I had made Kevin my "good thing." My all-encompassing good thing. And Jesus… well, I tried to fit Him in when I could… [Link]
Closeted Christians: Hiding from the Public Square
We are heading in the direction of making faith a purely private matter, one that is not allowed to intrude in any public square or discussion. [Link]
The Smaller You Get, The Freer You Will Be
The world would have us to believe that the bigger we get and the better we feel about ourselves, the freer we become. But what we find in the gospel is just the opposite. The gospel is good news for losers — for those who long to be freed from the slavery of believing that their significance and security depend on their ability to “become a better you.” [Link]
A New Renaissance in the Arts: Why Now?
The Church was once the major patron of the arts, and many Christian leaders believe that it can and should be once again. Renewing that status may shift the way the Church impacts the world as a force for good. [Link]
"Leap Year" Has Some Classic Movie Charm
In what's basically a remake of Frank Capra's It Happened One Night set in the always-photogenic Irish countryside, Amy Adams and Matthew Goode do manage some winsome chemistry a la Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in Leap Year. [Link]
Michael Cera Shines in Twisted "Youth in Revolt"
Michael Cera is a star. If you didn’t know it after his role on Arrested Development, or his turns in Juno and Superbad, or after he shared top billing with Jack Black in Year One, you’ll know it after Youth in Revolt. [Link]
Shane & Shane: Scriptures Unplugged
Using the pop-producing sensibilities of Pete Kipley and Jason Hoard to get the heart of their songs on tape, Shane Barnard shares with CCM what makes Shane & Shane's newest recording, Everything Is Different, so, well … different. [Link]
He Was God-man
“In Christ there is all of God in a human body.” Colossians 2:9 TLB Jesus was not a godlike man, nor a manlike God. He was God-man . . . The maker of the world with a bellybutton . . . What do we do with such a person? We applaud men for doing good things? We enshrine God for doing great things. But when a man does God things? One thing is certain, we can’t ignore him. Why would we want to? [Link]
All Pro Dad's Day
We love having you as a Play of the Day subscriber, but we'd like more from you. Not your money, but your time. Would you be willing to give three hours a month to help the families at your child's school with our All Pro Dad's Day breakfast? Not only will you make the school a better place, but you'll also be the catalyst for transforming parent/child relationships. Find out how to become an All Pro Dad's Day Team Captain. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do you think you could help me make a difference in the lives of your classmates? [Link]
Love Like God
“Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God.” Philippians 2:6 NLT Need more patience? Drink from the patience of God (2 Peter 3:9). Is generosity an elusive virtue? Then consider how generous God has been with you (Romans 5:8). Having trouble putting up with ungrateful relatives or cranky neighbors? God puts up with you when you act the same. “He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked” (Luke 6:35 NIV). Can’t we love like this? [Link]
Love Like God
“Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God.” Philippians 2:6 NLT Need more patience? Drink from the patience of God (2 Peter 3:9). Is generosity and elusive virtue? Then consider how generous God has been with you (Romans 5:8). Having trouble putting up with ungrateful relatives or cranky neighbors? God puts up with you when you act the same. “He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked” (Luke 6:35 NIV). Can’t we love like this? [Link]
Top 25 Articles of 2009
Crosswalk.com's most popular articles of the 2009 touched on hearing God's voice, the ageless difference between men and women, our new president, and some of the year's hottest movies. Read them all here. [Link]
Hindsight — The Most Newsworthy Events of 2009
A few years from now, 2009 might be remembered differently, but these markers stand out to me as 2010 begins. [Link]
Saints and Soldiers: The Call of Eternal Sacrifice
Altruism, love, the willingness to sacrifice self for the life of comrades in arms, or for a cause greater than oneself, are on display in abundance in Saints and Soldiers. [Link]
Of Things Expected and Unexpected
I am glad that I did not have a list of "expectations" for marriage as it has allowed me to be surprised, pleasantly surprised and excited by "discoveries." I had not visualized how all things would be and so I was not disappointed. We had a wedding day that both met and exceeded our "expectations." [Link]
Managing Conflict With Your Teen
Most of us want to avoid conflict with our kids, but did you know that conflict in a family can offer you an opportunity to pull together like never before? [Link]
Nothing Good Apart from Him…
I had made Kevin my "good thing." My all-encompassing good thing. And Jesus… well, I tried to fit Him in when I could… [Link]
The myth of "quality time"
Washington D.C.'s first major league baseball team, the Senators, was owned by Clark Griffith, who, in the democratic, give-the-people-what-they-want spirit of the city, said: "Fans like home runs — and we have assembled a pitching staff to please our fans." Right idea, wrong method. It's the same with the myth of "quality time"… as in "I don't get to spend a lot of time with my kids, but when I do, it's 'quality time.' " Kids spell love with another four letter word: t-i-m-e. You see, where you spend your time reflects your priorities, and your children know where they stand. Make sure they know they are loved. Spend more time with them. Do you need to spend more time with your kids? Here's how. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What would you like to do this weekend? [Link]
God Uses People
I know those I have chosen. John 13:18 Would you choose a wanted murderer to lead you out of bondage? Would you call upon a fugitive to carry the Ten Commandments? God did . . . Called his name through a burning bush. Scared old Moses right out of his shoes! The reassuring lesson is clear. God . . . uses people to change the world. People! Not saints or superhumans or geniuses, but people. [Link]
Our Top 12 Faith-Related Articles of 2009
Practicality. Direction. Steps. Toward praying, trusting, growing, and deepening reliance upon God. These are factors that our most popular Faith features had in common in 2009, a year of difficulty and challenge for so many. [Link]
Out with the Old, In With the New
I find it comforting that the God of Heaven is a God of fresh starts and new beginnings. He made a world that starts anew every day with sunrise… [Link]
How to Wrestle in Prayer
Don't just throw out a few brief prayers for God's help, and then move on in discouragement if the situation doesn't change for the better. God wants you to practice Wrestling Prayer [Link]
The Kingdom Work of the Corporate World
Certainly, business is no place for those who have "set their minds on things above, not on earthly things" (Colossians 3:2). And yet, that is precisely where God has put them. [Link]
What You Need to Know If Your Bank Fails
Since January 2009, 106 banks and 19 credit unions have failed in the U.S. As grim as these statistics may be, you should not worry about your bank or credit union provided it is FDIC- or NCUSIF-insured. [Link]
Discover & Live Your Calling in the New Year
If your goals for this year include finding a new career — one that is your vocational calling — you may not be sure where to begin. Here are some suggested steps to get you started… [Link]
Understanding English Bible Translation
It remains a reality that the proponents of dynamic equivalence and essentially literal translations are bound to clash. Here, Ryken lays the groundwork for why he believes Christian translators should stick with an essentially literal approach. [Link]
God Uses People
I know those I have chosen. John 13:18 Would you choose a wanted murderer to lead you out of bondage? Would you call upon a fugitive to carry the Ten Commandments? God did . . . Called his name through a burning bush. Sacred old Moses right out of his shoes! The reassuring lesson is clear. God . . . uses people to change the world. People! Not saints or superhumans or geniuses, but people. [Link]
Tony Dungy on New Year's resolutions
Are you making any New Year's resolutions? Resolutions can motivate some people to make lasting change; but Tony Dungy's approach is to try to make changes as soon as they're needed. Watch what he has to say about resolutions.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: What are some goals you have set for yourself this year? [Link]
Where is the Season?
The gift exchanges may be over, but Christmas doesn't really end on December 26th… [Link]
Are We Ready for a Visitation from God?
Many of us pray for revival, but a question we must ask is: “Are we really ready for a visitation from God?” A look at the general condition of the Church indicates no, we are not ready. [Link]
Come On, Man!
This is a plea for sanity and humility, two of the greatest (and rarest?) assets in a preacher. [Link]
Let Us Resolve: Jeremiah's Challenge to the Israelites
The wound apparent in the American Church is indeed serious and our natures are such that we tend to minimize the spiritual complacency present in our own lives and among God's people. [Link]
Hawk Nelson Reflects Back and Looks Forward
Daniel Biro says that 2010 is sizing up to be the year of honesty for his band, Hawk Nelson. The pop punk sounds are still alive and well after four studio albums. But now, the quartet is ready to tell the truth about anything and everything. [Link]
Reflecting Back with Emery
Emery must be quite comfortable in their own skin. As drummer Dave Powell explains in this interview, Emery loves making music, feels just fine with where they’re at success-wise and enjoys the ebb and flow of it all. [Link]
Hands Digs Deeper with Creator
Creator, the latest effort from Fargo-based Hands, packs far more than could be expected from the average hardcore record, blending elements of melodic rock, prog rock, and of course, good ole fashioned screamo. [Link]
God Loves You
If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12 NIV God loves you. Personally. Powerfully. Passionately. Others have promised and failed. But God has promised and succeeded. He loves with you with an unfailing love. And his love – if you will let it – can fill you and leave you with a love worth giving. [Link]
Love in ink
Open up a blank document on your computer. Then compile a list of thirty sentences stating why you're grateful your wife married you. Some can be funny. Others should be touching. Space these sentences out in a way that can easily be cut out with scissors. After cutting, fold these thirty paper gems in half and place inside a decorative basket or box. Present this gift to your wife at the dinner table. It will make her month, as she draws out one slip a day to remind her how much she means to you. Want to learn the art of writing notes to your wife? Read on. Huddle up with your wife tonight and tell her how much you love her. [Link]
Less surfing, more sharing
The Annenberg Center for the Digital Future reported that 28 percent of Americans interviewed last year said they are spending less time with members of their households because of the Internet. That's nearly triple the 11 percent who said that in 2006. Michael Gilbert, a senior fellow at the Center, said "Most people think of the Internet and our digital future as boundless, and I do, too. But ultimately it leads to less-cohesive and less-communicative families." The antidote? Put time limits and guidelines on web surfing at home for everyone. And a great way to do that? Have your family read and sign our Family Internet contract.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Will you please read this contract and sign it? [Link]
Your Problems Matter to God
Thank God! He deserves your thanks. His love never quits. Psalm 136:1 The Message If I know that one of the privileges of fatherhood is to comfort, then why am I so reluctant to let my heavenly Father comfort me? Why do I think he wouldn’t care about my problems? (“They are puny compared to starving people in India.”) Why do I think he is too busy for me? [Link]
He Said-She Said: What's Wrong with Me?
A reader says: "I am 28 years old and have never been asked out. I understand that the guy should do the pursuing, but what does it mean when no one is pursuing? I would just like to know what I'm doing wrong." See what "he" and "she" have to say in response. [Link]
All Things New
Beginning tonight people all over the world will intensify their celebration of newness. Here's a brief meditation from my book "Do I Know God?" on why Christians are the ones who should be celebrating newness louder than anybody. [Link]
Faith, Finances, and Fantasy: The Prosperity Gospel at Work
While the prosperity gospel is part of the problem, it is only a small expression of a much larger American ethos. [Link]
150 Years of Dickens Vs. Darwin
Two major literary anniversaries happened this year, but you probably only heard about one. Find out why it matters. [Link]
Top 10 Family and Relationship Articles of 2009
What are men really thinking? Should my child read the Twilight series? How can someone who seemed as wholesome as Tiger Woods do so much harm to his marriage? In 2009, Crosswalk readers sought Christ-centered answers to their most perplexing relationship questions… [Link]
Make Family Your New Year Priority
What's the first step in saving your family? Create more family time. [Link]
God Listens
“I call to you in times of trouble, because you will answer me.” Psalm 86:7 You can talk to God because God listens. Your voice matters in heaven. He takes you very seriously. When you enter His presence, the attendants turn to you to hear your voice. No need to fear that you will be ignored. Even if you stammer or stumble, even if what you have to say impresses no one, it impresses God, and he listens. [Link]
He Did It All For You
“The heavens tell the glory of God.” Psalm 19:1 If you were the only person on earth, the earth would look exactly the same. The Himalayas would still have their drama and the Caribbean would still have its charm. The sun would still nestle behind the Rockies in the evening and spray light on the desert in the mornings. If you were the sole pilgrim on this globe, God would not diminish its beauty one degree. Because he did all for you. [Link]
The top has a lonely view
There are very few businessmen who have succeeded in the corporate world like Lee Iacocca. Iacocca was Chrysler's chief executive and an American icon. However, in his book Straight Talk, this business mogul says: "Here I am in the twilight of my life, still wondering what it's all about… I can tell you this, fame and fortune is for the birds."Interestingly enough, if Iacocca had to do it over again, he would spend much more time with his late wife and his children and not invest all his time in a company that would ultimately fail. Let's learn from his mistake.For more on winning the tug-of-war between work and family life, read this insightful article. Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: What can we do so I can spend more time with you and the kids? [Link]
Go to Him
“God is our protection and our strength. He always helps in times of trouble.” Psalm 46:12 Ever feel as if you need to get away? So did Jesus. (Mark 1:35) Ever have so many demands that you can’t stop for lunch? He can relate. (Mark 6:31) . . . Do your friends ever let you down? When Christ needed help, his friends dozed off. (Matthew 26:40) . . . When you turn to him for help, he runs to you to help. Why? He knows how you feel. He’s been there . . . So go to him. [Link]
Go Toward a Better Financial Life in 2010
Have you ever noticed how often personal finance advice is about what not to do? But budgeting is not about less; It's actually about more. [Link]
The 'Easy Life' has a Price
When you give up the challenges of life in pursuit of "security," you may give up your freedom. [Link]
Curb Your Spending Compulsion
When it comes to compulsive tendencies, there's no question I received more than the standard allotment… [Link]
Top 10 Christian News Stories of 2009
The year 2009 brought hundreds of stories and movements to bear on global Christianity. Here are the faces, places, and movements the Crosswalk.com editors believe most impacted Christians around the world. [Link]
Resolutions for 2010
Making resolutions and setting goals for the New Year can help us to refocus our efforts, redirect our thoughts, and remedy weaknesses in our lives. Consider the resolutions of Matthew Henry and Jonathan Edwards… [Link]
4 Reasons to Face the New Year without Fear
We can live this coming year without fear if we apply four incredibly wonderful truths to our lives and root them deep into our hearts. [Link]
What Does God Promise You?
When you read in your Bible and you see the words “gift” or “given,” or the words “then” or “if,” you need to back up. [Link]
Our Sure God
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6 NKJV Look at the first word: surely. David didn’t say, “Maybe goodness and mercy shall follow me.” Or “Possibly goodness and mercy shall follow me.” Or “I have a hunch that goodness and mercy shall follow me.” David could have used one of those phrases. But he didn’t. He believed in a sure God, who makes sure promises and provides a sure foundation. David would have loved the words of one his great-great-grandsons, the apostle James. He described God as the one “with whom there is never the slightest variation or shadow of inconsistency” (James 1:17 Phillips). Our moods may shift, but God’s doesn’t. Our minds may change, but God’s doesn’t. Our devotion may falter, but God’s never does. Even if we are faithless, he is faithful, for he cannot betray himself (2 Tim. 2:13). He is a sure God. [Link]
How will your son or daughter meet their future spouse?
Perhaps in a very non-traditional way, as this video shows. But it's not how your son or daughter meets the "love of their life," it's who they meet. Will that person be faithful, honest, giving and trustworthy? Or will they be selfish, immature, dishonest and unfaithful? Who your children marry is crucial. Talk to them beforehand about the character traits they need to look for in a spouse, before they say "I do." Start here.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What type of person would you like to marry? [Link]
"Let Your Light Shine Before Men" in 2010
As the bustle and hustle of 2009 passes us by, leaving a trail of wrapping paper and bows, I ask myself, "Did I shine as brightly as I could have?" [Link]
Why Do We Need Christian Higher Education?
Martin Luther once warned Christians with these words: "I greatly fear that schools for higher learning are wide gates to hell if they do not diligently teach the Holy Scripture and impress them on the young folk." [Link]
Recovering Preaching from Mere Adequacy
Compared with the kind of preaching found in most churches today, what was it about the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah that resonated with such power in the souls of their hearers? Five things… [Link]
The Day "Merry Christmas!" Died
It seems to me that this is the year that the phrase "Merry Christmas!" died, finally choked to death by the vapid, opportunistic ambiguity of "Happy Holidays." [Link]
A Well-Loved Woman
I've had too many women walk up to me after a speaking engagement and bend down, with tears in their eyes, and whisper a confession that they are in a hard marriage. I know what they are feeling, and it kills me that they each think they're the only ones who are going through this… [Link]
Pornography and You
While in the airport recently my heart broke at the site of so many men who spend time between flights thumbing through the pages of "soft porn" publications like Playboy… [Link]
Is Yelling the New Spanking?
Is shouting the new spanking? For some parents it is… [Link]
Music matters
"Give me the making of the songs of a nation and I do not care who writes its laws," says Scottish philosopher Andrew Fletcher. His poignant insight into the power of music is breathtakingly valid. Music plays a huge role in all of our lives and there is no more musically impressionable generation than our adolescents. Make sure you know exactly what your kids are listening to and pick up some great tunes to give to your kids. Get them to listen to the right things, and chances are they'll start doing the right things.Here are some bands that will lift up, not tear down your children.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Who are your favorite bands? Why? [Link]
The God Who Follows
“The upright shall dwell in Your presence.” Psalm 140:14 NKJV Lazarus was three days dead in a sealed tomb when he heard a voice, lifted his head, and looked over his shoulder and saw Jesus standing. God had followed him into death. Peter had denied his Lord and gone back to fishing when he heard his name and looked over his shoulder and saw Jesus cooking breakfast. God had followed him in spite of his failure. God is the God who follows. I wonder…have you sensed him following you? We often miss him…But he comes. Through the kindness of a stranger. The majesty of a sunset. The mystery of romance. Through the question of a child or the commitment of a spouse. Through a word well spoken or a touch well timed, have you sensed his presence? [Link]
What Young Love Should Know About Old Love
Sadly, young love doesn’t often see examples today of what old love can be… [Link]
At Christmas, German Town Prepares for Easter's Passion
Almost 400 years ago, the people of a small German town made a vow that they've kept for centuries. Now, Oberammergau is once again getting ready for its Passion Play. [Link]
Greater Love: A Pakistani Christian's Sacrifice
In late October, at Islamabad's International Islamic University, an Islamic suicide bomber tried to attack the women's side of campus. But a lowly janitor forced his hand… [Link]
Christian Leaders Must be Readers
Can it be true that we no longer read? Could this explain why many churches struggle to recruit leaders for various ministry needs? [Link]
Your Non-Cash Donations are Worth More Than You Think!
How much is that camel-hair coat worth? Or that long-unused treadmill? The likely answer: "More than you think." Indeed, properly valued noncash donations could shave hundreds of dollars off your tax bill… [Link]
Job Hunting During the Holidays
True or False? Job hunting during the holidays is a waste of time. Surprisingly, the previous statement is false… [Link]
The Bondage of Debt
Only one of Solomon's fools could say with a straight face that the American government and her people are economically free. [Link]
Kids, pets and responsibility
Are your kids begging you for a pet? Are you a little reluctant, thinking it will end up becoming your pet when your children don't want to take care of it? Or maybe you already have a pet at home, and just need to clarify who cares for it, and when. Download and print our Pet Care Contract and Pet Responsibility Chart for you and your children to sign. It's a great way to agree beforehand on what your kids will be responsible for before you head to the pet store.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: How much time every day do you think it will take for you to take care of a pet? [Link]
Homesick for Heaven
“Our homeland is in heaven.” Philippians 3:20 This home we’re in won’t last forever. Birthdays remind us of that. Not long ago I turned fifty. I’m closer to ninety than I am to infancy. All those things they say about aging are coming true. I’m patting myself less on the back and more under the chin. I have everything I had twenty years ago, except now it’s all lower. The other day I tried to straighten out the wrinkles in my socks and found out I wasn’t wearing any. Aging. It’s no fun. The way we try to avoid it, you’d think we could. We paint the body, preserve the body, protect the body. And well we should. These bodies are God’s gifts. We should be responsible. But we should also be realistic. This body must die so the new body can live. “Flesh and blood cannot have a part in the kingdom of God. Something that will ruin cannot have a part in something that never ruins” (I Cor. 15:50). [Link]
Rising from the Ashes: The New Anglican Church
The coming together of the various "continuing Anglican" churches in the ACNA is one of the major religious developments of this year, a development what will likely resonate for many years to come. [Link]
You didn't get a divorce from your kids
No words exist to adequately describe what a father goes through when he gets divorced. He loses a wife who he had pledged to spend the rest of his life with. He often loses his legacy by being separated from his own children. But does he have to? Many dads simply give up and walk away from their biological kids because they believe it's pointless. They think that because they won't be around them much, it really doesn't matter. Other fathers do the "every other weekend" thing. They'll have the kids over to just hang out and have some fun, without being involved in the rest of their lives. But there is a third option – do as much as you can, given your limitations. Do your best to remain cordial with your ex and don't speak negatively about her to your kids. This way, you'll gain greater access to your children. You may be able to call every night and read them a bedtime story. You can go to parent-teacher conferences. You can send them cards and bring back souvenirs from trips you go on. You can attend their sporting events and ballet recitals. Whatever it is, your kids need you involved. You didn't get a divorce from them. You're their father. Forever.Need to overcome some anger with your ex-wife? Read this.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: The next time we are apart, how can we stay better connected? [Link]
A Tiny Seed, A Tiny Deed
“Do not despise…small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin.” Zechariah 4:10 NLT Against a towering giant, a brook pebble seems futile. But God used it to topple Goliath. Compared to the tithes of the wealthy, a widow’s coins seem puny. But Jesus used them to inspire us… Moses had a staff. David had a sling. Samson had a jawbone. Rahab had a string. Mary had some ointment. Dorcas had a needle. All were used by God. What do you have? God inhabits the tiny seed, empowers the tiny deed…Don’t discount the smallness of your deeds. [Link]
Take God to the World? Or Join Him There?
Are we really responsible to "take God with us" when we venture out? Have we forgotten his omnipresence? [Link]
Experiencing God When You Get a Raw Deal
As I walked across campus, I was rethinking whether this God I had come to know was worth following… [Link]
Women of Advent and Christmas: Anna
When Jesus entered the Temple, Anna knew the God-Man and came to Him. Practice had prepared her for the Perfect and she prophesied. [Link]
A Free Choice
“God did not choose us to suffer his anger but to have salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Thessalonians 5:9 We don’t like to talk about hell, do we? In intellectual circles the topic of hell is regarded as primitive and foolish. It’s not logical. “A loving God wouldn’t send people to hell.” So we dismiss it. But to dismiss it is to dismiss a core teaching of Jesus. The doctrine of hell is not one developed by Paul, Peter, or John. It is taught by Jesus himself. And to dismiss it is to dismiss much more. It is to dismiss the presence of a loving God and the privilege of a free choice. Let me explain. We are free either to love God or not. He invites us to love him. He urges us to love him. He came that we might love him. But, in the end, the choice is yours and mine. To take that choice from each of us, for him to force us to love him, would be less than love. God explains the benefits, outlines the promises, and articulates very clearly the consequences. And then, in the end, he leaves the choice to us. [Link]
Watson Keeps Entertaining "Sherlock Holmes" Chugging Along
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective has been reinvented for the Jason Bourne age. Adding to the brawn and brains is a dash of romance. But the main chemistry is between Holmes and Dr. Watson, a sidekick who just can't kick the habit of helping Holmes solve another case. [Link]
Meryl Streep Shines Once Again in "It's Complicated"
Between serving up a pitch-perfect portrayal of Julia Child in this summer's Julie & Julia, voicing George Clooney's wife in Fantastic Mr. Fox and proving that 50 is apparently the new 30 in the saucy rom-com It's Complicated, it's been another dazzling year in cinema for the Oscar winner. [Link]
Fact and Fiction Prove Compelling in The Swiss Courier
As a lover of historical fiction, I consider a good book one that both entertains and educates. Authors must be able to weave history and story together in a compelling mixture of fact and fiction. Trisha Goyer and Mike Yorkey accomplish that difficult feat withThe Swiss Courier. [Link]
Facing Fear
“Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering.” Luke 22:42 Jesus was more than anxious; he was afraid… How remarkable that Jesus felt such fear. But how kind that he told us about it. We tend to do the opposite. Gloss over our fears. Cover them up. Keep our sweaty palms in our pockets, our nausea and dry mouths a secret. Not so with Jesus. We see no mask of strength. But we do hear a request for strength. “Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering.” The first one to hear his fear is his Father. He could have gone to his mother. He could have confided in his disciples. He could have assembled a prayer meeting. All would have been appropriate, but none were his priority. He went first to his Father. [Link]
Merry Christmas as we celebrate One Solitary Life
In 1926, Dr. James A. Francis wrote, "Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office.He never owned a home. He never set foot in a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He had no credentials but Himself. While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves.His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth while He was dying – and that was His coat. When He was dead, He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.Twenty-one centuries have come and gone, and today He is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of progress. All the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as that one solitary life – Jesus Christ." Here's an interesting perspective on the Christmas story. Then hear what Coach Dungy has to say about his favorite Christmas memory.Huddle up and ask your kids today: What was the best part of today for you? [Link]
God Came Near
“His kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:33 She looks into the face of the baby. Her son. Her Lord. His Majesty. At this point in history, the human being who best understands who God is and what he is doing is a teenage girl in a smelly stable. She can’t take her eyes off him. Somehow Mary knows she is holding God. So this is he. She remembers the words of the angel. “His kingdom will never end.” He looks like anything but a king. His face is prunish and red. His cry, though strong and healthy, is still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby. And he is absolutely dependent upon Mary for his well-being. Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable, through the womb of a teenager and in the presence of a carpenter. She touches the face of the infant-God. [Link]
Secrets to Finding Peace on Earth this Season
Need to drum up some warm feelings? Light an eggnog-scented candle and reread the Christmas story. Here you'll find some kindred spirits because the people at the first Christmas were as harassed as you are. [Link]
Women of Advent and Christmas: Elizabeth
Just when most friends thought her time had past, Elizabeth found herself at the beginning of Christmas. [Link]
Give Forgiveness at Christmas
One of the biggest gifts you could possibly give to yourself and others this Christmas is absolving others of wrongs done to you. [Link]
Where Does the Story of Christmas Begin?
As we celebrate Christmas and contemplate the Christmas story, we must be very careful not to begin the story in Bethlehem, or even in Nazareth. [Link]
A Word about Family Tensions and the Holidays
There’s a reason the “Cousin Eddie” character in the movie National Lampoon Christmas Vacation resonates with so many. We’ve all got a Cousin Eddie, or two, in our extended families. Some of us are Cousin Eddie… [Link]
Christmas Hope: A Couple's Battle with Mental Illness
Just as we celebrate Christ’s birth at the darkest time of year, God’s light often shines brightest during the darkest moments of our lives. Here's the story of one couple, Lori and David, who found hope in Christ after a devastating diagnosis… [Link]
There Really Was a Saint Nicholas!
Bishop Nicholas is most notably remembered for having helped the family of a nobleman who had gone bankrupt, losing everything. The ruthless creditors not only took the nobleman's property, but threatened to take his daughters as well. The father's only hope was to marry off his daughters before the creditors could take them, thereby saving them from a disgraceful life [Link]
Breath of Heaven
Watch this moving video of the nativity story and remember tomorrow the gift God has given us. And find out what Tony Dungy and his family will be doing tomorrow morning.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: What does Christmas mean to you? [Link]
His Name is Jesus
“Joseph…took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.” Matthew 1:24-25 NKJV Joseph tanked his reputation. He swapped his tsadiq diploma for a pregnant fiancée and an illegitimate son and made the big decision of discipleship. He placed God’s plan ahead of his own. Rather than make a name for himself, he made a home for Christ. And because he did, a great reward came his way. “He called His name Jesus.” Queue up the millions who have spoken the name of Jesus, and look at the person selected to stand at the front to the line. Joseph. Of all the saints, sinners, prodigals, and preachers who have spoken the name, Joseph, a blue-collar, small-town construction worker said it first. He cradled the wrinkle-faced prince of heaven and with an audience of angels and pigs, whispered, “Jesus…You’ll be called Jesus.” [Link]
A Worshipping Christmas
This Christmas, and every Christmas, we need to be reminded that Christ is the greatest gift and worship is the only proper response. [Link]
Persecuted Christians Know the True Meaning of Christmas
Let me give you just two examples of how some of our brothers and sisters in Christ are observing Christmas… in ways far different from yours and mine. [Link]
Telling the Christmas Story
To those of us who've heard the story all our lives, it seems so normal. But, to those who've never heard, it must sound absurd. [Link]
American Faith Is a Religious Labyrinth
American spirituality is increasingly blending New Age and Eastern beliefs with traditional Christianity, as a new study shows. [Link]
Holiday Spending: In the Midst of Joy, a Season of Doubt
Just days before Christmas, when all the gifts are wrapped and the plans are nearly complete, I hear this voice suggesting that the gifts I chose are really dumb, and I need to spend more money… [Link]
Win Over Worry
Life in this fallen world gives you plenty to worry about. So take action to win over worry so it won't win over you [Link]
Giving in Hard Times: An Opportunity for Witness
God did not spare His own Son, but gave Him as a gift that first Christmas, and how can we not likewise show generosity to others? [Link]
Love that Lasts Forever
“Love never fails.” I Corinthians 13:8 NIV “Love,” Paul says, “never fails.” The verb Paul uses for the word fail is used elsewhere to describe the demise of a flower as it falls to the ground, withers, and decays. It carries the meaning of death and abolishment. God’s love, says the apostle, will never fall to the ground, wither, and decay. By its nature, it is permanent. It is never abolished. Love “will last forever” (NLT). It “never dies” (MSG). It “never ends” (RSV). Love “is eternal” (TEV). God’s love “will never come to an end” (NEB)… Governments will fail, but God’s love will last. Crowns are temporary, but love is eternal. Your money will run out, but his love never will. [Link]
Linus and the Christmas story
Did you know that more people have heard the Christmas story from Linus, the character in Peanuts, than from anybody else. And as you watch Linus share the greatest story of all, notice that he puts aside his ever-present security blanket… the only time in the comic strip he ever does so. From Linus, and all of us here at All Pro Dad, Merry Christmas!Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Why do you think Linus let go of his security blanket in this scene? [Link]
NewsNote: The Death of Oral Roberts
I am thankful for every sinner who came to know the Gospel of Christ through the preaching of Oral Roberts. But I can only lament the prosperity theology that he leaves in his long shadow. [Link]
Women of Advent and Christmas: Not Just a Womb
God could have raised up a womb from the very rocks if He had needed to do so. Mary got to be the "one" because Mary loved and obeyed. [Link]
How to Wrap Your Christmas Presence
I read that in hard times when Christmas presents are smaller, wrappings become bigger. But who really believes that when things are tough, it's what's on the outside that counts? [Link]
Songs, Silliness and Greater Stakes Characterize The Chipmunks' Squeakquel
Even with pop music at the center of Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, the filmmakers behind the second big-screen installment of Alvin and the Chipmunks kept the cultural references to a minimum and chose to make a family flick that's really all about the kids. [Link]
Rom-Coms Get a Refreshing Spin in (500) Days of Summer
While adherence to romantic-comedy genre rules and staples lacks the inspiration of its premise, the refreshing spin of (500) Days of Summer is found primarily in first-time director Marc Webb’s style. [Link]
District 9 Disappoints Despite Inspired Genre Mash-Up
In an inspired genre mash-up of sci-fi, horror and documentary styles, District 9 looks to tackle relevant themes related to the War on Terror (and the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, specifically) through a parabolic lens. [Link]
You have a wonderful life
One of the greatest Christmas movies of all time, It's a Wonderful Life, highlights the life of an ordinary man, George Bailey, and paints of picture of what things would be like if he had never existed. It completely changed his perspective. If you're a little down during this Christmas season, realize how much you mean to your wife, your children, your other family and friends and how much worse off they would be if you were not in the picture. Your presence is truly their best present this Christmas.Watch this classic scene from It's a Wonderful Life.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What do you think is the greatest gift of all this Christmas? [Link]
A Leaf of Hope
“When the dove returned to [Noah] in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Genesis 8:11 NIV An olive leaf. Noah would have been happy to have the bird but to have the leaf! This leaf was more than foliage; this was promise. The bird had brought more than a piece of a tree; it brought hope. For isn’t that what a hope is? Hope is an olive leaf—evidence of dry land after a flood… Don’t we love the olive leaves of life? “It appears the cancer may be in remission.” “I can help you with those finances.” “We’ll get through this together.” What’s more, don’t we love the doves that bring them? When the father walks his son through his first broken heart, he gives him an olive leaf. When the wife of many years consoles the wife of a few months, when she tells her that conflicts come and all husbands are moody and these storms pass, you know what she is doing? She is giving an olive leaf. We love olive leaves. And we love those who give them. [Link]
'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' Theology
Oh, he's watching. Waiting for you to screw up so you will get coal instead of a bicycle. You had better please him… [Link]
Christmas, Truth, Christ and the Mile-Long Buffet of Worldviews
Consider Jesus’ statement about why he was born, which he made when he was about to be executed [Link]
Spiritual Intelligence
As you know, Jesus' parable of the seed and soils is one of the most preached passages in Scripture. Yet beyond its deep spiritual meaning, it serves as a powerful metaphor for why our preaching often yields little fruit. For the savvy pastor, this parable provides more than anesthesia, easing our pain by explaining the reason of lean preaching harvest. It also can serve as a stewardship insight that propels us to focus more on soil preparation in order for the seeds we sow to bear significant fruit. [Link]
Quashing the Ruckus at the Back of your Bus
As a lifelong church brat accustomed to living by lists and working out my own sanctification, I found this book empowering. I've never read a work that so accurately and biblically fleshes out the inner life. [Link]
His Gift of Joy
It was up to me as a single parent to make it possible for the joy of Christmas to be experienced this year. But how could I do that? Where could I turn for what I didn't have? [Link]
Invite the Holy Spirit into Your Relationships
This holiday — and every day — each of us might have to deal with someone who has an attitude problem. The Holy Spirit can help you put away the old self and respond with the new… [Link]
The Rising Tide of Teen Dishonesty
It's a fact that teenagers today seem to be crossing their fingers behind their back more and more. They are cheating and stealing more, too. [Link]
Gifted to Give
“A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a mean of helping the entire church.” I Corinthians 12:7 NLT When you place your trust in Christ, he places his Spirit in you. And when the Spirit comes, he brings gifts, housewarming gifts of sorts. “A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church” (I Cor. 12:7 NLT). Remember, God prepacked you with strengths. When you become a child of God, the Holy Spirit requisitions your abilities for the expansion of God’s kingdom, and they become spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit may add other gifts according to his plan. But no one is gift deprived. Lonely? God is with you. Depleted? He funds the overdrawn. Weary of an ordinary existence? Your spiritual adventure awaits. The cure for the common life begins and ends with God. [Link]
Your Christmas gifts and Schindler's List
Why not do Christmas a little differently this year? What if your family only spent 80% of what it usually does on gifts and used the additional 20% to sponsor hungry children overseas or buy a gift card for a single mother? In the movie Schindler's List, businessman Oskar Schindler grieves about how much money he threw away on trivialities when he could have saved so many more lives during World War II. Take a look. Let's truly live the reason for the season and give to those who desperately need our help.Huddle up and ask your children tonight: What if we all chipped in this Christmas and helped someone in need? What should we do? [Link]
Made by the Master
“You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13 NIV “Knitted together” is how the psalmist described the process of God making man. Not manufactured or mass-produced, but knitted. Each thread of personality tenderly intertwined. Each string of temperament deliberately selected. God as creator. Pensive. Excited. Inventive. An artist, brush on pallet, seeking the perfect shade. A composer fingers on keyboard, listening for the exact chord. A poet, pen poised on paper, awaiting the precise word. The Creator, the master weaver, threading together the soul. Each one different. No two alike. None identical. [Link]
When the Time Comes
“God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” Matthew 6:34 MSG The last phrase is worthy of your highlighter: “when the time comes.” “I don’t know what I’ll do if my husband dies.” You will, when the time comes. “When my children leave the house, I don’t think I can take it.” It won’t be easy, but strength will arrive when the time comes. “I could never lead a church. There is too much I don’t know.” You may be right. Or you may be wanting to know everything too soon. Could it be that God will reveal answers to you when the time comes? The key is this: Meet today’s problems with today’s strength. Don’t start tackling tomorrow’s problems until tomorrow. You do not have tomorrow’s strength yet. You simply have enough for today. [Link]
Turn Lonely Holidays into Feasting Holy Days
I've had many people ask, "I'll bet the holidays are going to be really hard for you this year, huh?" I have lots of reasons why they could be depressing or devastating, but this year I have a new attitude—a new hope. [Link]
O Unity Tree, O Unity Tree!
I can see the rationale in calling the "Christmas Season" the "Holiday Season," given that other faiths indeed share the season. But can you call a Christmas tree anything but a Christmas tree? [Link]
Keep Resisting the Washington Compromise
The truth of the matter is that when it comes to the most fundamental questions about human society, culture, and government, the middle ground is not a sensible place to occupy. [Link]
Save the Pet? Or Save the Stranger?
Love for pets is one thing, but putting them on the same moral footing as humans is incredibly dangerous. Never forget that humans, and humans alone, were created in the image of God. [Link]
Otherworldly "Avatar" Familiar in the Worst Way
The intense publicity, as well as several ecstatic early reviews, have set the bar very high. But Avatar doesn't come anywhere near clearing that bar—not in the performances, not in the lavish visuals and certainly not in the film's entirely derivative storytelling. [Link]
Costumes, Art Direction Trump Performances in "The Young Victoria"
The Young Victoria is not the best film currently playing, or even a particularly good one, because the story has a split personality. But some beautiful interior shots and costuming compensate somewhat for this period piece's identity crisis. [Link]
Stars May Shine, But "Nine" Still Suffers from Sensory Overload
Even with five Oscar-winning actresses delivering fantastic performances without really having that much to work with, the screen adaptation of Broadway musical Nine may have the star wattage but ultimately does little in the way of actually illuminating the audience. [Link]
God Uses People
“Happy are those who are helped by the God of Jacob.” Psalm 146:5 Until he was eighty years old he looked like he wouldn’t amount to much more than a once-upon-a-time prince turned outlaw. Would you choose a wanted murderer to lead a nation out of bondage? Would you call upon a fugitive to carry the Ten Commandments? God did. And he called him, of all places, right out of the sheep pasture. Called his name through a burning bush. Scared old Moses right out of his shoes! There, with knees knocking and “Who me?” written all over his face, Moses agreed to go back into the ring… The reassuring lesson is clear. God used (and uses!) people to change the world. People! Not saints or superhumans or geniuses, but people. Crooks, creeps, lovers, and liars—he uses them all. And what they may lack in perfection, God makes up for in love. [Link]
The price of purity
Recently a University of Bristol student sold the rights to her virginity on eBay. The highest bidder would be allowed a single night of passion with her. She ended up getting $12,000 for this endeavor. I wonder if she thinks it was worth it. Our take is that virginity is priceless and your children should reserve themselves until marriage. Talk to your kids about the benefits of abstinence. Here's a list of some of those benefits, to kick off your conversation. Huddle up with your teens tonight and ask: Do you think you will wait until marriage to have sex? Why or why not? [Link]
Twelve Devotionals of Christmas
We only have one "Devotional of the Day" spot after all, and that's just not enough space to showcase all the worshipful and inspirational Christmas-related devotional content our providers have posted this December. [Link]
The Truth of the Nativity and Birth of Jesus Christ
Christmas has become an odd mixture of pagan ideas, superstition, fanciful legends, and plain ignorance. The place to begin sorting it out is in God's Word, because we can't know Jesus if we don't understand He is real. [Link]
What Are We Singing: Yuletide Songs of Mary
During a quick Black Friday errand, I heard four Christmas songs about the mother of Jesus. Having returned from another trip to Israel, I reflected upon what I knew of her and her land. [Link]
‘Tis the Season to Be Stress-Free
Here are three biblical principles that can get you through the Christmas season feeling recharged, refreshed, and refueled. [Link]
Gift Cards: Good or Bad?
Let me share a few things to consider before selecting a gift card. [Link]
Four Online Tools Make Budgeting Fun
While your spending plan can be done manually with paper and a pen, there are a few really cool online tools and calculators that will make it a lot easier, and perhaps even fun, too. [Link]
Are Your Gifts in a Drawer?
God has personally selected a variety of gifts for each of us, and He has given them to us to be used. [Link]
God’s Love
“God is love.” I John 4:16 The supreme surprise of God’s love? It has nothing to do with you. Others love you because of you, because your dimples dip when you smile or your rhetoric charms when you flirt. Some people love you because of you. Not God. He loves you because he is he. He loves you because he decides to. Self-generated, uncaused, and spontaneous, his constant–level love depends on his choice to give it. “The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you” (Deut. 7:7-8 NIV). You don’t influence God’s love. You can’t impact the treeness of a tree, the skyness of the sky, or the rockness of a rock. Nor can you affect the love of God. [Link]
Tell your daughter she's beautiful
Watch this uplifting video from Jonny Diaz, and reflect on how beautiful your daughter truly is. Then be sure to tell her tonight.Huddle up tonight and tell your daughter: You are beautiful because _______. [Link]
Spreading the Word about Religious Freedom Sunday
There's a great occasion coming up for advancing religious freedom. That's Religious Freedom Sunday, which is scheduled for January 10th. [Link]
Don't Miss Christmas!
Christmas reminds us that "today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11). [Link]
The Forgotten Chapter of the Christmas Story & the Women in Jesus' Family Tree
We tend to overlook genealogic sections of Scripture, but sometimes they contain hidden treasure. [Link]
The Manhattan Declaration Controversy
Why is there protest about the propriety of identifying Evangelical, Anglican, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions together as Christians in the recent Manhattan Declaration? [Link]
No Stress Gift-Giving
Why not take the stress of gift-giving away by offering something that can be actually given later on in the year? Here's an idea that includes the entire family… [Link]
Isn't It About Time You Got Married?
I've got a few unanswered questions about my life. I'd like to know if I'll ever be a homemaker and homeowner. I've discovered, though, that I rarely have to ask questions like this. There are plenty of other people in my life asking them for me. [Link]
Yours, Mine… and Ours
"His" and "hers" might be embroidered on towels, robes and coffee mugs, but when it comes to issues of the heart, there is no "yours" or "mine" — it is all "ours." [Link]
What to Do with Worries
“God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else?” Romans 8:32 CEV What do we do with…worries? Take your anxieties to the cross—literally. Next time you’re worried about your health or house or finances or flights, take a mental trip up the hill. Spend a few moments looking again at the pieces of passion. Run your thumb over the tip of the spear. Balance a spike in the palm of your hand. Read the wooden sign written in your own language. And as you do, touch the velvet dirt, moist with the blood of God. Blood he bled for you. The spear he took for you. The nails he felt for you. The sign he left for you. He did all this for you. Knowing this, knowing all he did for you there, don’t you think he’ll look out for you here? [Link]
One year of flame
One cynic described marriage as one year of flame and forty years of ashes. I believe he thought this because he related love to feeling, not to a daily decision. The feeling of love comes and goes and comes back again, like your appetite. The commitment of love is unrelenting and sure. Loving commitment is an act of the will – a self-disciplined lifestyle. Act in love towards your wife even if you don't always feel like it. The feeling will return in time, and flood your soul with joy.Here are some ideas for fanning the flames of romance.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: How can I love you better? [Link]
'The Secret Santa' Understood the Real Secret
What can you give this Christmas? Before you answer, you might want to read about the real-life Secret Santa… [Link]
Mad over Manhattan
Organizing a rescue effort does not require full agreement on theological nuances. Yet this is precisely the position of many theologians who have declined to sign "The Manhattan Delcaration." [Link]
Copenhagen, Climategate, and a Renewed Call to Truth
Who needs climategate? We already have a solid case against dangerous manmade global warming. [Link]
Like Pigs in the Slaughter: China's Forced Abortions
As painful as it is to talk about forced abortion, we must speak out when we see such monstrous evil. Find out how you can make your voice heard. [Link]
How Giving Blesses the Receiver
My dear friend April received an unexpected but much needed blessing more than 20 years ago. I’ve often wondered if that unknown angel has any idea how much he or she impacted my girlfriend’s life at such a critical time… [Link]
Career vs. Family: Is There a Choice?
In recent generations, we've witnessed a systematic destruction of the barrier between the demands of the marketplace or career and the obligations of family. How should Christians respond to the tensions between the two? [Link]
A Lesson from Tiger's Tale
The one thing that's been bothering me the most about Tiger Woods' story is this: Wasn't there anyone in his life who was holding him accountable? [Link]
God Sent Himself
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:14 NKJV Don’t we love the word “with”? “Will you go with me?” we ask. “To the store, to the hospital, through my life?” God says he will. “I am with you always,” Jesus said before he ascended to heaven, “to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20 NIV). Search for restrictions on the promise; you’ll find none. You won’t find “I’ll be with you if you behave…when you believe. I’ll be with you on Sundays in worship…at mass.” No, none of that. There’s no withholding tax on God’s “with” promise. He is with us. God is with us. Prophets weren’t enough. Apostles wouldn’t do. Angels won’t suffice. God sent more than miracles and messages. He sent himself; he sent his Son. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” [Link]
Cheating is a widespread problem
A recent survey of 12,000 high school students showed that the number of students who admitted they cheated on an exam at least once in the past year jumped from 61% in 1992 to 74% in 2002. The primary reason? Many young people today believe the ends justify the means – if you want to make a good grade on a test and need to cheat to do it, that's okay. But it's not okay. Character is always defined by doing the right thing, not the easy thing. So talk to your children about why cheating is wrong. Tell them that taking shortcuts will harm them in the end. Tell them you would be proud if they did their best and got a "C" on a test the honest way, rather than getting a grade that is truly not theirs. For more on the way kids cheat, why it's wrong, and how to take steps to prevent it as a parent, read this. For a bit of humor, watch this.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Why is cheating wrong, even if it puts you at a disadvantage? [Link]
Facing the Facts
“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!” Psalm 139:17 NKJV Aging is a universal condition. But the way we try to hide it, you would think it was a plague! There are girdles which compact the middle-age spread for both sexes. There are hair transplants, wigs, toupees, and hair pieces. Dentures bring youth to the mouth, wrinkle cream brings youth to the face, and the color in a bottle brings youth to the hair. All to hide what everyone already knows—we’re getting older… Just when the truth about life sinks in, God’s truth starts to surface. He takes us by the hand and dares us not to sweep the facts under the rug but to confront them with him at our side. Aging? A necessary process to pass on to a better world. Death? Merely a brief passage, a tunnel. Self? Designed and created for a purpose, purchased by God himself. There was that so bad? [Link]
Your two passports
You are issued two passports in life: one to the land of life and health, the other to sickness and death. There will be a point in the future, perhaps the near future, where you will exchange one for the other. And the end will come. It is inevitable, but not tragic. What you do now, in the land of the living, will mean everything when it comes time to make that passport exchange. Did you love your children? Did you kiss your wife every night? Do you give your time, talent and treasure to the less fortunate? Did you pray that God's will be done in your life? Live and die well.Do you have a bucket list? If not, here are some ideas to get you started on one. Want to know what's on Coach Dungy's bucket list? Find out here.Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask: Name three things on your bucket list. How can we accomplish these? [Link]
An Amazing Article on Abortion in New York Magazine
New York writer Jennifer Senior posed the most awkward question for her Manhattan elite readers: Is America really pro-choice? [Link]
The Christmas Story That's Really about Easter
My favorite non-biblical Christmas story has always been "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." But might it have less in common with the first chapter of Luke's Gospel than with Luke's other New Testament book? [Link]
Paradoxes of Christmas
The greatest paradox in the entire Bible is found in the birth of Jesus Christ… [Link]
"I Have No Gift to Bring"
What if we were to give ourselves? Our time. Our talents. What if we were to give them to each other? [Link]
Keeping the Small Things Small
As I listen to people complain about their mate, I often wonder, "Is this really that big of a deal?" [Link]
The Warning Signs of Infidelity
How do you know if your marriage is danger of falling victim to infidelity? Author Nancy C. Anderson gives some often missed warning signs that may help protect your marriage. [Link]
Reluctant Entertainers: Singles Can Offer Hospitality, Too
Connecting with others is so important to our faith and quality of life. Yet singles often feel reluctant to open their homes, while families hesitate to reach out to singles… [Link]
A Well of Optimism
“You must change and become like little children. Otherwise, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3 Bedtime is a bad time for kids. No child understands the logic of going to bed while there is energy left in the body or hours left in the day. My children are no exception. A few years ago, after many objections and countless groans, the girls were finally in their gowns, in their beds, and on their pillows. I slipped into the room to give them a final kiss. Andrea, the five-year-old, was still awake, just barely, but awake. After I kissed her, she lifted her eyelids one final time and said, “I can’t wait until I wake up.” Oh, for the attitude of a five-year-old! That simple uncluttered passion for living that can’t wait for tomorrow. A philosophy of life that reads, “Play hard, laugh hard, and leave the worries to your father.” A bottomless well of optimism flooded by a perpetual spring of faith. Is it any wonder Jesus said we must have the heart of a child before we can enter the kingdom of heaven? [Link]
Some of the Old Disney Magic Exists in "The Princess and the Frog"
Disney gets nostalgic and tries capitalizing on everything that's worked so well in the past, while taking advantage of new technology. Not only are there plenty of show-stopping musical numbers, but the colorful, hand-drawn animation has never been more spectacular. [Link]
Prophecy Fulfilled
“Those who look to the LORD will praise him.” Psalm 22:26 The fulfillment of Scripture is a recurring theme in the passion. Why, in his final moments, was Jesus determined to fulfill prophecy? He knew we would doubt. He knew we would question. And since he did not want our heads to keep his love from our hearts, he used his final moments to offer proof that he was the Messiah. He systematically fulfilled centuries-old prophecies… Did you know that in his life Christ fulfilled 332 distinct prophecies in the Old Testament? What are the mathematical possibilities of all these prophecies being fulfilled in the life of one man? 1 out of 840,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (That’s ninety-seven zeroes!) Amazing! [Link]
When “Gracious Restraint” Fails — The Real Anglican Tragedy
Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams's response to the Los Angeles diocese election reveals a man who — judging by his words — is far more committed to affection than to truth. [Link]
Lead Your Church to the True Meaning Of Christmas
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Santa Claus, sleigh bells, reindeer. Snow falling, icicles forming, Christmas music playing. Christmas lights, Christmas trees, Christmas presents. Shopping, planning, cooking, eating, visiting with friends and family. This is what Christmas is all about… [Link]
On the Road to Bethlehem: The Faith of Jesus' Mother
Are you facing difficult circumstances this Christmas season? You're not alone. Mary, Jesus' mother, faced an uncertain future, too. [Link]
Victims of Assumicide: What to Do When You Are Misunderstood
We've all been guilty of drawing wrong or poor conclusions based on tiny scraps of evidence. [Link]
"Invictus" Invokes No Passion
Directed by Clint Eastwood, Invictus is the story of South Africa's political transformation in the late twentieth century and the role its rugby team played in bridging the racial divide. How could it go wrong? By not generating the requisite momentum for a triumphant story about cultural and ethnic identity. [Link]
Favorites at Play Covers the Well Known
This covers album boasts many of pop music's well-known numbers of the last few years. From Coldplay to Paramore, Joy Electric’s Ronnie Martin plays well with others, crafting an analog dream from the constructs of others. [Link]
Heaven, Healing and a Side of Bluegrass
When they first started writing Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven but Nobody Wants to Die, David Crowder and Mike Hogan wanted to fill a void. Yes, there was a gaping hole in each of their hearts since their friend had died. But this was a different type of void. [Link]
God’s Ways Are Right
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.” Isaiah 43:2-3 NASB God knows what is best. No struggle will come your way apart from his purpose, presence, and permission. What encouragement this brings! You are never the victim of nature or the prey of fate. Chance is eliminated. You are more than a weather vane whipped about by the winds of fortune. Would God truly abandon you to the whims of drug-crazed thieves, greedy corporate raiders, or evil leaders? Perish the thought! We live beneath the protective palm of a sovereign King who superintends every circumstance of our lives and delights in doing us good. Nothing comes your way that has not first passed through the filter of his love. [Link]
Kid of the Week
Tired of your kids fighting over who gets to sit in the front seat of the car? Are you at wit's end over who gets served ice cream first? One All Pro Dad reader has a great idea. Designate a Kid of the Week. The idea is simple – every week, one of your children will get priority with privileges – like sitting next to Dad, or getting the mail. Then next week, it's someone else's turn. Keep all your kids on rotation and let them know that if it's not their turn this week, it will be soon. This simple process can greatly curb sibling rivalry. And we all could use a little less of that!For more on curbing sibling rivalry, check out this article.Huddle up with your kids tonight and say: The Kid of the Week this week is ___, and next week is ____. [Link]
Advent in Church and Cultural Tradition
Celebrating Advent helps families prepare for the coming of Christ. But where do Advent traditions come from? [Link]
The Tacoma Tragedy and the Case for Outrage
The slaying of four police officers in Tacoma is a good reminder that, though redemption and transformation is at the heart of the Gospel, some people must be put behind bars and kept there. [Link]
What Do You Really Believe About Human Dignity, Dr. Collins?
The defense of human dignity is the responsibility of all human beings, but certain individuals bear a special responsibility due to position or influence. [Link]
10 Holiday Tips for the Working Woman
For the women handling business in and outside the home, the holidays can be a time of anxiety… [Link]
What Friends Do
“A friend loves you all the time.” Proverbs 17:17 One gets the impression that to John, Jesus was above all a loyal companion. Messiah? Yes. Son of God? Indeed. Miracle worker? That, too. But more than anything Jesus was a pal. Someone you could go camping with or bowling with or count the stars with… Now what do you do with a friend? (Well, that’s rather simple too.) You stick by him. Maybe that is why John is the only one of the twelve who was at the cross. He came to say good-bye. By his own admission he hadn’t quite put the pieces together yet. But that didn’t really matter. As far as he was concerned, his closest friend was in trouble and he came to help. “Can you take care of my mother?” Of course. That’s what friends are for. [Link]
Marriage and Band-Aids
In 1921, Earle Dickson had a problem. His wife kept injuring herself in the kitchen. He got sick and tired of always wrapping her wounds, only to have the bandages fall off shortly thereafter. So he stuck some gauze in between adhesive tape and sterilized it. He was so proud of his invention that he showed it to his boss, James Johnson, who ran Johnson & Johnson. More than 80 years and 100 billion Band-Aids later, you can thank Earle's thoughtfulness for his wife the next time you put an adhesive bandage on your child's boo-boo. It's a great example of what loving your wife can not only do for her and your children, but the world.What do your children gain when you love their mother? Find out here. Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: What is something special we can do for your mom? [Link]
The Tiger (Woods) in You
Tiger Woods isn’t as bad as he could be. But neither is he the role model he appeared to be. [Link]
Turn Lonely Holidays into Feasting Holy Days
I've had many people ask, "I'll bet the holidays are going to be really hard for you this year, huh?" I have lots of reasons why they could be depressing or devastating, but this year I have a new attitude—a new hope. [Link]
Making Christmas Personal
I knew, of course, that Jesus may not have been born exactly on December 25, but I hadn't really considered that Christmas could be celebrated at any time other than on that precise date. [Link]
The Christmas Cello: A Gift for Worship
It didn't happen overnight. But the Lord used a cello to teach me a very important lesson: true worship has a price. [Link]
The Answers Adopted Kids Seek in the Teen Years
When an adopted child enters the adolescent years and their thinking transfers from concrete to abstract, they might begin asking that unanswerable question, "Why did my mother give me up?" [Link]
The Promise of Marriage
The marriage promise is the foundation upon which happy families are formed. When a man and woman are mature and selfless enough to do what it takes to stay true to their promise, everyone wins. [Link]
He Said-She Said: Praying for Specific Qualities in a Spouse
One reader asks: "Is it wrong to pray specifically for those things we want in a spouse and for how we want a spouse to look?" What a great question! Find out how "He" and "She" have answered in response in this edition of "He Said-She Said." [Link]
A Proper Perspective
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 NASB At first the standard in that verse seems impossible to meet. Nothing? We shouldn’t do anything for ourselves? No new dress or suit. What about going to school or saving money—couldn’t all of these things be considered selfish? They could, unless we are careful to understand what Paul is saying. The word the apostle uses for selfishness shares a root form with the words strife and contentious. It suggests a self-preoccupation that hurts others. A divisive arrogance. In fact, first-century writers used the word to describe a politician who procured office by illegal manipulation or a harlot who seduced the client, demeaning both herself and him… Looking after your personal interests is proper life management. Doing so to the exclusion of the rest of the world is selfishness. [Link]
Modesty: A lesson for your pre-teen daughter
"All the girls at school are wearing these, why can't I?"… "It's my body; shouldn't I decide what to put on it?" These questions reflect the timeless struggle between teen girls and their parents over the issue of modesty. This issue is more critical than ever in today's society, where pre-teens are encouraged by the media and peers to act and dress years older than they actually are. Everywhere you look, young girls — whether in real life, on television, or in advertisements — are dressed in ways that emphasize their sexuality and, to be blunt, degrade the value of female character. So, as parents, how can we instill in our daughters a sense of personal modesty? Here are 5 steps to get you started.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What does modesty mean? Do you think you should be modest? [Link]
The Promise of Marriage
The marriage promise is the foundation upon which happy families are formed. When a man and woman are mature and selfless enough to do what it takes to stay true to their promise, everyone wins. [Link]
The Answers Adopted Kids Seek in the Teen Years
When an adopted child enters the adolescent years and their thinking transfers from concrete to abstract, they might begin asking that unanswerable question, "Why did my mother give me up?" [Link]
He Said-She Said: Praying for Specific Qualities in a Spouse
One reader asks: "Is it wrong to pray specifically for those things we want in a spouse and for how we want a spouse to look?" What a great question! Find out how "He" and "She" have answered in response in this edition of "He Said-She Said." [Link]
Handling the Holidays During Divorce or Loss
October through December can be an excruciating time of year for those who have experienced a loss. Is there someone you know who may be struggling this year? If so, here are a few practical tips to share. [Link]
Should Christians Celebrate Christmas and the Birth of Jesus Christ?
Why wouldn't a Christian celebrate the birth of Christ? In actuality, the reasons are varied and the legacy long, going back to the Puritans and up to present day groups such as Advent Conspiracy. [Link]
Seven Things I'm Learning about Worship
Chances are you have strong opinions about worship philosophy, or know someone who does. It's a constant clash in our contemporary churches, but here are some truths about worship upon which we might all agree. [Link]
A Conscientious Objector In the Christmas Wars
It's Christmastime, the season for urgent cries from Christian groups who want to defend the holiday from the forces of secularism. Allow me to offer a dissenting view to the prevailing mentality. [Link]
No Stress Gift-Giving
Why not take the stress of gift-giving away by offering something that can be actually given later on in the year? Here's an idea that includes the entire family… [Link]
Make the Most of Your Money in Tough Times
Although you can't control the economy, you can control how you manage your money during this recession. Here's how you can make the most of your money in tough times… [Link]
Avoid These 5 Resume Mistakes
Here are five resume mistakes you can easily avoid to make sure your resume gets the positive reaction you want. [Link]
Slow Down and Rest
“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter.” Exodus 20:9-10 NKJV God knows us so well. He can see the store owner reading this verse and thinking, “Somebody needs to work that day. If I can’t, my son will.” So God says, Nor your son. “Then my daughter will.” Nor your daughter…“I guess I’ll have to send my cow to run the store, or maybe I’ll find some stranger to help me.” No, God says. One day of the week you will say no to work and yes to worship. You will slow and sit down and lie down and rest. Still we object…“What about my grades?” “I’ve got my sales quota.” We offer up one reason after another, but God silences them all with a poignant reminder: “In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day.” God’s message is plain: “If creation didn’t crash when I rested, it won’t crash when you do.” Repeat these words after me: It is not my job to run the world. [Link]
Married and divorced for trivial reasons
When your kids grow up, if they get married to someone for trivial reasons, they'll probably get divorced for trivial reasons. So what criteria should your children use in choosing a future mate? Take a look at this list, and talk it over with your teens. Their choice of a future spouse will prove to be one of the most important decisions they ever make.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you want to get married when you grow up? What kind of person would you like to marry? [Link]
Deliver Christ to the World
“I work…using Christ’s great strength that works so powerfully in me.” Colossians 1:29 The virgin birth is more, much more, than a Christmas story; it is a picture of how close Christ will come to you. The first stop on his itinerary was a womb. Where will God go to touch the world? Look deep within Mary for an answer. Better still, look deep within yourself. What he did with Mary, he offers to us! He issues a Mary-level invitation to all his children. “If you’ll let me, I’ll move in!”… What is the mystery of the gospel? “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27 NIV)… Christ grew in Mary until he had to come out. Christ will grow in you until the same occurs. He will come out in your speech, in your actions, in your decisions. Every place you live will be a Christmas. You, like Mary, will deliver Christ into the world. [Link]
'Game Plan for Life': Joe Gibbs’ Playbook for Success
What many fans may not realize is that my friend Joe Gibbs’s ultimate goal has never been victories on the football field or the race track. He shares more in his book, Game Plan for Life. [Link]
Staying Spiritual During the Holidays
Joy-to-the-world begins with each of us individually. Therefore, we must guard against our output exceeding our intake. [Link]
Why the Nativity?
In Why the Nativity? 25 Compelling Reasons We Celebrate the Birth of Jesus, author David Jeremiah addresses the top 25 questions frequently asked about the birth of Jesus. Here, he answers "Why the Prophecies?" and "Why Did God Become Man?" [Link]
7 Reasons Not to Speak When You Are Angry
So why shouldn’t we speak when we are angry? Here are seven things to think about before you open your mouth . . . [Link]
Your Brain in Love
You and your spouse can experience lasting passion together if you understand how each of your brains work, and how to use tht knowledge to keep passion alive in your relationship. [Link]
Align Marital Expectations with Reality
It's the gap between what we expect and what we get that drains our energy. Are you willing to sit down and share your expectations with your spouse? [Link]
Marshmallows and success
Research is showing that self-control may play a tremendous role in a child's future success. Psychologists have done tests with children who could either have one marshmallow now, or two a little later – if they were able to wait. In later years, a follow-up study revealed that the children who were impulsive and ate the first marshmallow right away scored more than 200 points lower on their SATs than the impulse-controlled children who delayed gratification in order to get a second marshmallow. And the children who waited did better in school, were considered more dependable later on as adolescents, and better able to deal with stress and frustration.Helping our kids learn the value of saying "no" to themselves while they're still young might just help them achieve a greater measure of success in their adult life.Take a look at this humorous but revealing experiment on self-control. Then hear Coach Tony Dungy talk about how he learned about self-control as a young man.Huddle up with your children tonight and ask: When I say the word "self-control," what do you think it means? Why is it important? [Link]
The Master Plan
“It was the LORD’s will to crush him.” Isaiah 53:10 NIV The cross was no accident. Jesus’ death was not the result of a panicking, cosmological engineer. The cross wasn’t a tragic surprise. Calvary was not a knee-jerk response to a world plummeting towards destruction. It wasn’t a patch-job or a stop-gap measure. The death of the Son of God was anything but an unexpected peril. No, it was part of a plan. It was a calculated choice. “It was the Lord’s will to crush him.” The cross was drawn into the original blueprint. It was written into the script. The moment the forbidden fruit touched the lips of Eve, the shadow of a cross appeared on the horizon. And between that moment and the moment the man with the mallet placed the spike against the wrist of God, a master plan was fulfilled. [Link]
Magnify Your Maker
“If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified.” I Peter 4:11 NKJV God endows us with gifts so we can make him known. Period. God endues the Olympian with speed, the salesman with savvy, the surgeon with skill. Why? For gold medals, closed sales, or healed bodies? Only partially. The big answer is to make a big to-do out of God. Brandish him. Herald him. “God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well…Then God will be given glory” (I Pet. 4:10-11 NLT). Love so that “he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!” (I Pet. 4:11 MSG). Exhibit God with your uniqueness. When you magnify your Maker with your strengths, when your contribution enriches God’s reputation, your days grow suddenly sweet. [Link]
Heart, Humor and a Timely Launching Pad Elevate "Up in the Air"
With director Jason Reitman's trademark satirical bite, plenty of romantic turbulence and great starring turns from leads George Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Twilight's Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air tugs at your emotions one moment and has you laughing out loud the next. [Link]
Jesus Has AIDS
Before you object, think it through. Jesus isn’t right now hungry, is he? He isn’t naked, is he? He isn’t thirsty, is he? He isn’t in jail, is he? Well, yes, he is…in the nakedness, hunger, thirstiness, imprisonment and suffering of his brothers and sisters around the world. [Link]
How to Work with Others to Change Your Community
Christianity is a team sport. If you are to take up a cause in your community – from empowering the poor, to reconciling people in conflict – you'll be much more effective working with others than alone. [Link]
Participate in a Christmas Miracle for Prisoners' Children
It all started with a knock on the door—because someone cared enough to send Christmas gifts, and the Gospel, to a prisoner's children. [Link]
Putting Europe's Religious Liberty Issues in Perspective
It is sad commentary on the state of Europe and America that a few minarets not built will generate more outrage than a dead priest. [Link]
Family Drama Lacks Emotional Gravitas in "Everybody's Fine"
There's nothing like the holidays to remind everyone about what's really important in life. But sometimes the delivery of a valuable message about the importance of family simply gets lost in translation, which is exactly what happens in the ho-hum dramedy Everybody's Fine. [Link]
"Brothers" Buries Its Most Interesting Themes
Just in time for Christmas—and for President Barack Obama's newly announced strategy for the war in Afghanistan—comes Brothers, director Jim Sheridan's (In America) remake of a Danish drama about sibling and generational conflict among one military family. [Link]
Switchfoot's Approach More Hopeful on Hello Hurricane
Switchfoot takes an increasingly hopeful lyrical approach, inspired by the band’s work with Habitat for Humanity and perhaps even their artistic liberation. After the mildly darker nature of Oh! Gravity, it's a welcome return to form. [Link]
God is Eternal
“God is…greater than we can understand! No one knows how old he is.” Job 36:26 Scripture says that the number of God’s years is unsearchable. We may search out the moment the first wave slapped on a shore or the first star burst in the sky, but we’ll never find the first moment when God was God, for there is no moment when God was not God. He has never not been, for he is eternal. God is not bound by time. But when Jesus came to the earth, all this changed. He heard for the first time a phrase never used in heaven: “Your time is up.” As a child, he had to leave the Temple because his time was up. As a man, he had to leave Nazareth because his time was up. And as a Savior, he had to die because his time was up. For thirty-three years, the stallion of heaven lived on the corral of time. [Link]
How to pick the Super Bowl winner
The surest way to predict which team will win the Super Bowl is to see which one ESPN's Trey Wingo decided to visit that season with his son, Chappy. Call it Wingo magic. Each season, father and son pick one game in one city at one stadium they have not visited together. In 2004, Wingo took Chappy to a Patriots-Ravens game in Foxborough, Mass; the Patriots won the Super Bowl. In 2006, they went to a Colts-Bills game in Indianapolis; the Colts won the Super Bowl. In 2007, Wingo took Chappy to a Giants-Redskins game in New Jersey; the Giants won the Super Bowl. Last season, they went to a Steelers-Chargers game in Pittsburgh; the Steelers won the Super Bowl. Recently, Wingo took 14-year-old Chappy to the one and only game they opt to attend each season. They watched the Eagles rout the Giants in Philadelphia. So, with apologies to Indianapolis, New Orleans and Minnesota, Philadelphia now becomes the favorite to win this season's Super Bowl. It's really amazing to see what can happen when fathers and their children spend time together. What will your story be? And, speaking of sports, do you know the 10 ways to enjoy sports with your children? Take a look, and then add your own recommendations.Huddle up and ask your children tonight: When can we all go to a game together? [Link]
The Witness of Scripture: Work of Men, or Word of God?
Among revisionists, the historical record is a product of oppression and coercion written by the ruling class. That also goes for the biblical record, which many dismiss as myth or legend. [Link]
Helmut Thielicke: Between Pulpit and Lectern
Helmut Thielicke was a preacher-theologian who stood between two worlds: the academy and the church. [Link]
Managing the Cost of Christmas Present
To help you more fully appreciate the cost of all your gift-giving, let me pose this question: How many days will you have to work in order to pay for your Christmas generosity? [Link]
Inflation: 7 Simple Financial Insights to Help You Cope
We haven't faced serious inflation for more than a generation in the U.S. If that changes and inflation really does heat up, many Americans will have no idea how to adjust. Here are seven simple financial insights for successfully coping with inflation… [Link]
Attributes of a Workplace Witness, Part I
Over the last several years I have observed individuals in whom God is doing a special work and using them to impact their sphere of influence. I have discovered four key attributes that are consistent in this person… [Link]
Water for the Soul
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” John 7:37 NKJV Are you anyone? If so, then step up to the well. You qualify for his water. All ages are welcome. Both genders invited. No race excluded. Scoundrels. Scamps. Rascals and rubes. All welcome. You don’t have to be rich to drink, religious to drink, successful to drink; you simply need to follow the instructions on what—or better, who—to drink. Him. In order for Jesus to do what water does, you must let him penetrate your heart. Deep, deep inside. Internalize him. Ingest him. Welcome him into the inner workings of your life. Let Christ be the water of your soul. [Link]
The definition of a soldier
It has been said that the definition of soldier, sailor, marine or other service person is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a check payable to the "People of the United States" for the sum of: "My Life." But it's not just the service men and women who give up so much, it's also their families. So, in an effort to keep military families connected, please forward this article to anyone who is serving our country. They give their lives for us, so let's do what we can to strengthen their families.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Would you ever want to go into the military? Why or why not? [Link]
Where Are the Brave Christian Thinkers?
Religion is not one of The Atlantic’s categories of “brave new thinkers” and no one listed could be construed as a religious thinker in the wrong category. Why is that? [Link]
The Case of Hannah Overton
In an outrageous series of events, this gentle thirty-year-old Christ-follower, wife, and homeschooling mother of five was sentenced to life without parole in the death of Andrew Burd, the four-year-old child that she and her husband were adopting from the foster-care system. By every account, the justice system not only failed but also may have actually crossed the line into willful misconduct. [Link]
How to Work with Others to Change Your Community
Christianity is a team sport. If you are to take up a cause in your community – from empowering the poor, to reconciling people in conflict – you'll be much more effective working with others than alone. [Link]
Out of Your Comfort Zone: Live the Life God Intends
Not only is Nehemiah's story a manual on leadership and organization, it shows us what God can do through one whose heart is completely His. [Link]
Our Worship and Our Fears
Studying through the book of Jonah, it occured to me that what we worship depends on what we fear the most. Behind everything you worship is some fear that, without this person or thing, you’d be lost. Life wouldn’t be worth living… [Link]
How to Live with Your In-Laws and Still Love Them
Multigenerational living — once the norm among Americans from all walks of life — brings challenges to modern home life… [Link]
The Healing Power of Marriage
Marriage was the place designed for great things to happen. [Link]
10 Tips to Prepare for the 2009 Holiday Season
This year, the stress and anxiety level is likely to be amplified. With this in mind, here are ten tips I believe can be helpful in getting ready for an enjoyable, meaningful holiday season in 2009. [Link]
A Bouquet of Blessings
“He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love.” Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV Suppose you dwell in a high-rise apartment. On the window sill of your room is a solitary daisy. This morning, you picked the daisy and pinned it on your lapel. But as soon as you’re out the door, people start picking petals off your daisy. Someone snags your subway seat. Petal picked. You’re blamed for the bad report of a coworker…more petals. By the end of the day, you’re down to one…you’re only one petal-snatching away from a blowup. What if the scenario was altered slightly? Let’s add one character. The kind man in the apartment next door runs a flower shop. Every night on the way home he stops at your place with a fresh bouquet. Because of him, your apartment has a sweet fragrance, and your step has a happy bounce. Let someone mess with your flower, and you’ve got a basketful to replace it! God hand-delivers a bouquet to your door every day. Open it! Take them! Then, when rejections come, you won’t be left short-petaled. [Link]
Chores = Intimacy
Want to really be attractive to your wife? Then do the dishes or vacuum the floor. Women find this irresistible. Why? According to his book Men are Clams, Women are Crowbars, Dr. David Clarke says: "Women see chores as a way to achieve closeness. Now, she needs the help anyway. Taking care of a home or apartment is too big a job for one person… but what the woman is really after is closeness. When her man helps with the household chores, she feels closer to him. She feels as though they are a team. She feels as though they are working together. She feels as though he really cares!" And men, you know what happens when your wife feels you really care. What are the 25 characteristics of a husband who loves his wife? Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: What are some things I can help you with around the house? [Link]
'Invisible Population' Still Lacks Access to HIV/AIDS Care
World AIDS Day comes with rising hope in the fight against HIV/AIDS, but the battle is far from over among the children born with the disease. [Link]
Christmas Every Day
“Sing praises to the LORD…Tell the nations what he has done.” Psalm 9:11 You have Christmas every day. Your gift bears not toys and books, but God himself! His work: on the cross and in the resurrection. As a result, your sin brings no guilt, and the grave brings no fear. His energy: it’s not up to you. You can do all things through Christ, who gives you strength. His lordship: he is in charge of you and looks out for you. His love: what can separate you from it? Who could imagine such gifts? Who could imagine not opening them? [Link]
'Invisible Population' Still Lacks Access to HIV/AIDS Care
World AIDS Day comes with rising hope in the fight against HIV/AIDS, but the battle is far from over among the children born with the disease. [Link]
'A Christmas Carol': The Joy of Second Chances
The tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, the miser who is transformed by a ghostly intervention into a good and generous man on Christmas Eve, is one that never seems to grow old. [Link]
Pull Up a Chair While We Read the Health Care Bill
With stakes this high, if our representatives can't find the time or energy to read the 2,074 page bill, it seems the least they could do is pull up a chair and listen. [Link]
Angel Time Explores Different End of the Otherworld
Readers of Anne Rice's books expect to explore the otherworld. Angel Time, Rice's latest release, fulfills that expectation yet again—but this time with a twist. The only bloodlust found here resides in the human protagonist, professional hitman Toby O'Dare, a.ka. Lucky the Fox. [Link]
More Zany Adventures on Display in Museum Sequel
Can lightning strike twice in the same place? It can if you switch locations and seriously revamp the storyline, which is exactly what the filmmakers smartly did this time around in the sequel, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. [Link]
Kutless Brings Back Worship on It Is Well
It's interesting to note that for all their rock releases and the longevity of the Kutless name, it's a worship album from four years ago (Strong Tower) that still remains the BEC Recordings act’s best-selling album. [Link]
Here's to you, All Pro Dad
To all the fathers who brave outdoor high school football stadiums during the dead of winter, just to see their son sit on the bench the entire game, we say well done. To all the dads who sit on rock-hard folding chairs to see their daughter's two-minute part in a two-hour play, we say well done. For all the dads who have put hundreds of miles on their car to take their children on Boy or Girl Scout camping trips, we say well done. To all the fathers who got through another stressful workday, and still cleaned up the dinner dishes, we say well done. You may never get to the top of your career field. You may never earn a six-figure income. You may never set any kind of athletic record. But you're living the most significant life. Well done.Want to encourage other fathers to lead lives of significance? Become an All Pro Dad Team Captain.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What is your favorite memory of something we have done together? [Link]
A Fountain of Love
“This is what real love is:…it is God’s love for us in sending his Son to be the way to take away our sins.” I John 4:10 You’ve had enough of human love. Haven’t you? Enough guys wooing you with Elvis-impersonator sincerity. Enough tabloids telling you that true love is just a diet away. Enough helium-filled expectations of bosses and parents and pastors. Enough mornings smelling like the mistakes you made while searching for the love the night before. Don’t you need a fountain of love that won’t run dry? You’ll find one on a stone-cropped hill outside Jerusalem’s walls where Jesus hangs, cross-nailed and thorn-crowned. When you feel unloved, ascend this mount. Meditate long and hard on heaven’s love for you. Both eyes beaten shut, shoulders as raw as ground beef, lips bloody and split. Fists of hair yanked from his beard. Gasps of air escaping his lungs. As you peer into the crimsoned face of heaven’s only Son, remember this: “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Rom. 5:8). [Link]
The hidden agenda of the Wizard of Oz
What you see is not always what you get in the media. There is always a worldview being portrayed, whether it's the evening news or Saturday morning cartoons. Even The Wizard of Oz had a hidden message. Here's one theory that has been proposed.So as a parent, the most important thing for you to know about what your children watch is not the TV ratings, but what is actually being said and shown. And you have a few options to help you in this. You can either preview or watch shows with your children, or do some online research about them. You can also recommend your kids do something other than watch TV, like read or go play football in the yard. All TV isn't bad, but limiting TV time is almost always the best option. It can be done. Here's how.Huddle up tonight and ask your children: When can we watch The Wizard of Oz and discuss its hidden meaning? [Link]
Saying Yes to God’s Purpose
“I must preach the kingdom of God…because for this purpose I have been sent.” Luke 4:42-43 NKJV After Christ’s forty-day pause in the wilderness, the people of Capernaum “tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, ‘I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.’” He resisted the undertow of the people by anchoring to the rock of his purpose: employing his uniqueness to make a big deal out of God everywhere he could. And aren’t you glad he did? Suppose he had heeded the crowd and set up camp in Capernaum, reasoning, “I thought the whole world was my target and the cross my destiny. But the entire town tells me to stay in Capernaum. Could all these people be wrong?” Yes they could! In defiance of the crowd, Jesus…said no to good things so he could say yes to the right thing: his unique call. [Link]
Cynicism is Not a Spiritual Gift?
Recently I spotted a T-Shirt that conveys a sad truth. "I’m not cynical. I’m just experienced." I receive a pretty steady stream of correspondence from “experienced” Christians who are fighting cynicism. [Link]
Let the Spirit Lead Your Church
The Holy Spirit has a particular purpose for your congregation. Learn more about The Ministry of the Missional Church. [Link]
"Be Joyful at Your Feast"
God’s people were to gather each year—regardless of how good or bad the harvest (their economy) happened to be—and were commanded to feast and be joyful as they reflected on the goodness of God toward them. [Link]
Preaching for Life Change
Are there some particular insights you’ve gained during the years that help you preach for life change? [Link]
"Only One Thing is Needed" this Holiday Season
The top three most common holiday regrets relate to gift giving. People come away from Christmas wishing they'd spent less on gifts, spent less time shopping for gifts, and spent less money on themselves. So what can we do to ensure this Christmas is more about our Savior's birth and less about spending money? [Link]
Four Loopholes in the New Credit Card Laws
The rules of the credit card game changed when the first phase of the new Credit CARD Act of 2009 became effective… [Link]
The Pygmalion Effect
Are your expectations pulling you forward or holding you back? [Link]
Descend Into God’s Love
“I have no one in heaven but you; I want nothing on earth besides you.” Psalm 73:25 My friend Keith took his wife, Sarah, to Cozumel, Mexico to celebrate their anniversary. Sarah loves to snorkel. Give her fins, a mask, and a breathing tube, and watch her go deep. Down she swims, searching for the mysteries below. Keith’s idea of snorkeling includes fins, a mask, and a breathing tube, but it also includes a bellyboard. The surface satisfies him. Sarah, however, convinced him to take the plunge. Forty feet offshore, she shouted for him to paddle out. He did. The two plunged into the water where she showed him the twenty-foot-tall submerged cross. “If I’d had another breath,” he confessed, “the sight would have taken it away.” Jesus waves for you to descend and see the same. Forget surface glances. No more sunburned back. Go deep. Take a breath and descend so deeply into his love that you see nothing else. [Link]
He Didn’t Quit
“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” John 1:11 NIV Lee Ielpi is a retired firefighter, a New York City firefighter. He gave twenty-six years to the city. But on September 11, 2001, he gave much more. He gave his son. Jonathan Ielpi was a fireman as well. When the Twin Towers fell, he was there. Firefighters are a loyal clan. When one perishes in the line of duty, the body is left where it is until a firefighter who knows the person can come and quite literally pick it up. Lee made the discovery of his son’s body his personal mission. He dug daily with dozens of others at the sixteen-acre graveyard. On Tuesday, December 11, three months after the disaster, his son was found. And Lee was there to carry him out. The father didn’t quit. Why? Because his love for his son was greater than the pain of the search. Can’t the same be said about Christ? Why didn’t he quit? Because the love for his children was greater than the pain of the journey. [Link]
What brings true joy in life?
George Bernard Shaw wrote, "This is the true joy in life: Being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."Now hear from Coach Dungy about what brings true joy in life.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you think there is a difference between joy and happiness? If so, what is it? [Link]
“They Did Not Honor Him as God, or Give Thanks”
Thankfulness is a theology in microcosm — a key to understanding what we really believe about God, ourselves, and the world we experience. [Link]
Thanksgiving: For Richer or Poorer
Let us encourage you to take the love of Christ with you and accept the difficult challenge of bringing it to the wealthy this Thanksgiving. While you’re together, try to figure out a way your clan can come together to do something for the impoverished, too. [Link]
The Miracle of Thanksgiving
November always brings out the historian in me-undoubtedly a result of those Thanksgiving theatricals at my elementary school. The class would dress as Pilgrims; my broad brimmed hat stabilized by a pair of crumpled ears. The routines were more fu [Link]
A Plea for Mercy
“The Lord is not…willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 NKJV What of those who die with no faith? My husband never prayed. My grandpa never worshiped. My mother never opened a Bible, much less her heart. What about the one who never believed? How do we know he didn’t? Who among us is privy to a person’s final thoughts? Who among us knows what transpires in those final moments? Are you sure no prayer was offered? Eternity can bend the proudest knees. Could a person stare into the yawning canyon of death without whispering a plea for mercy? And could our God, who is partial to the humble, resist it? He couldn’t on Calvary. The confession of the thief on the cross was both a first and final one. But Christ heard it. Christ received it. Maybe you never heard your loved one confess Christ, but who’s to say Christ didn’t? [Link]
The spirit of Thanksgiving
Today, most of us will pause and give thanks for our blessings. But what about the other 364 days of the year? Try this: every morning say out loud, three things you're thankful for. I mean it. Even if you're having a really rough time in your life. If you think about it, there are always things to be grateful for… your wife, your children, your health, your faith… the roof over your head… the dollar in your pocket. Get into the habit of giving thanks… not just on Thanksgiving… but every day.Take a look at this quick video to get into the Thanksgiving spirit. [Link]
Quirky "Fantastic Mr. Fox" Lives Up to Its Title
It's nearly impossible to overstate how wonderful this movie is. Living up to its title as well as any film of recent memory, Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox is a whirlwind of madcap humor, surprising emotion and true artistry. [Link]
Thanks Giving: A National Tradition
As we, once again, approach this national day of “thanksgiving” I thought it necessary to reflect upon our nation’s long history of acknowledging and giving thanks to Almighty God. On October 3, 1789 George Washington issued the nation’s first presidential proclamation in which he called the nation to set aside a day for giving thanks to that “great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be….” [Link]
Why I Signed The Manhattan Declaration
There are several reasons, but they all come down to this — I believe we are facing an inevitable and culture-determining decision on the three issues centrally identified in this statement. [Link]
On "Origin of Species" Anniversary, Book Gets a New Twist
The group handing out "Origin of Species" at Virginia Commonwealth University wasn't part of the campus atheist group. They were evangelical Christians. [Link]
Tolerance Pushes Charities toward Same-Sex Marriage
"The city is saying in order to provide social services, you need to be secular. For us, that's really a problem," said a spokeswoman for the District of Columbia Archdiocese. [Link]
Apocalyptic "Road" Winds to a Hopeful Place
The movie version of Cormac McCarthy's The Road is a story of a father and son trying to survive after an apocalyptic event. Although God is discussed, he is never embraced, yet The Road shows the importance of the power of hope to overcome bitterness and cynicism. [Link]
"Old Dogs" Could've Used a Few New Tricks
Old Dogs could've used a few new tricks, namely a stronger, less-schmaltzy script, a more convincing friendship between protagonists played by John Travolta and Robin Williams, and well, a few more laughs that don't involve bodily functions. [Link]
For Funnyman Michael Jr., Comedy is Serious Business
Michael Jr. does what few others can—be featured on The Tonight Show one night and then take his stand-up routine to a church the next. Wherever he steps up to the microphone, audiences agree Michael Jr. knows what it takes to keep it clean while keeping the crowd in stitches. [Link]
A Useful Vessel
“If you give up your life for me, you will find true life.” Matthew 16:25 NLT When you’re full of yourself, God can’t fill you. But when you empty yourself, God has a useful vessel. Your Bible overflows with examples of those who did. In his gospel, Matthew mentions his own name only twice. Both times he calls himself a tax collector. In his list of apostles, he assigns himself the eighth spot. John doesn’t even mention his name in his gospel. The twenty appearances of “John” all refer to the Baptist. John the apostle simply calls himself “the other disciple” or the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” Luke wrote two of the most important books in the Bible but never once penned his own name. [Link]
Helping out on the holidays
Dad, do you and your kids have a game plan for helping Mom get things ready for Thanksgiving dinner? There's a lot to do – maybe more than you realize. Take a look at this list of age appropriate chores for Thanksgiving holiday helpers. Assign tasks to each family member, and spread the work around! That way, everyone gets to enjoy the day – and Mom will be especially thankful for the extra help. Now for a little holiday humor, watch this! [Link]
Why Did He Do It?
“He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.” Philippians 2:7 Holiday travel. It isn’t easy. Then why do we do it? Why cram the trunks and endure the airports? You know the answer. We love to be with the ones we love. The four-year-old running up the sidewalk into the arms of Grandpa. The cup of coffee with Mom before the rest of the house awakes. That moment when, for a moment, everyone is quiet as we hold hands around the table and thank God for family and friends and pumpkin pie. We love to be with the ones we love. May I remind you? So does God. He loves to be with the ones he loves. How else do you explain what he did? Between him and us there was a distance—a great span. And he couldn’t bear it. He couldn’t stand it. So he did something about it. “He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.” [Link]
The Best Way to Face Life
“Teach us how short our lives really are so that we may be wise.” Psalm 90:12 In a life marked by doctor appointments, dentist appointments, and school appointments, there is one appointment that none of us will miss—the appointment with death. “Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God” (Heb. 9:27 TEV). Oh, how we’d like to change that verse. Just a word or two would suffice. “Nearly everyone must die…” or “Everyone who forgets to eat right and take vitamins must die…” But those are not God’s words. In his plan everyone must die, even those who eat right and take their vitamins. Exercise may buy us a few more heartbeats. Medicine may grant us a few more breaths. But in the end, there is an end. And the best way to face life is to be honest about death. [Link]
Do You Doubt?
“Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind.” James 1:6 Doubt. He’s a nosy neighbor. He’s an unwanted visitor. He’s an obnoxious guest. He’ll pester you. He’ll irritate you. He’ll criticize your judgment. He’ll kick the stool out from under you and refuse to help you up. He’ll tell you not to believe in the invisible yet offer no answer for the inadequacy of the visible…His aim is not to convince you but to confuse you. He doesn’t offer solutions, he only raises questions. Had any visits from this fellow lately? If you find yourself going to church in order to be saved and not because you are saved, then you’ve been listening to him. If you find yourself doubting God could forgive you again for that, you’ve been sold some snake oil. If you are more cynical about Christians than sincere about Christ, then guess who came to dinner? I suggest you put a lock on your gate. I suggest you post a “Do Not Enter” sign on your door. [Link]
Timely Help
“We will find grace to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:16 NLT God’s help is timely. He helps us the same way a father gives plane tickets to his family. When I travel with my kids, I carry all our tickets in my satchel. When the moment comes to board the plane, I stand between the attendant and the child. As each daughter passes, I place a ticket in her hand. She, in turn, gives the ticket to the attendant. Each one receives the ticket in the nick of time. What I do for my daughters God does for you. He places himself between you and the need. And at the right time, he gives you the ticket. Wasn’t this the promise he gave his disciples? “When you are arrested and judged, don’t worry ahead of time about what you should say. Say whatever is given you to say at that time, because it will not really be you speaking; it will be the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11, emphasis mine). God leads us. He will do the right thing at the right time. [Link]
When Love is Real
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15 NASB The summer before my eighth-grade year I made friends with a guy named Larry. He was new to town, so I encouraged him to go out for our school football team… The result was a good news-bad news scenario. The good news? He made the cut. The bad news? He won my position. I tried to be happy for him, but it was tough. A few weeks into the season Larry fell off a motorcycle and broke a finger. I remember the day he stood at my front door holding up his bandaged hand. “Looks like you’re going to have to play.” I tried to feel sorry for him, but it was hard. The passage was a lot easier for Paul to write than it was for me to practice. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” You want to plumb the depths of your love for someone? How do you feel when that person succeeds? [Link]
Take Heart!
“May the Lord lead your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s patience.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5 The majority is not always right. If the majority had ruled, the children of Israel never would have left Egypt. They would have voted to stay in bondage. If the majority had ruled, David never would have fought Goliath. His brothers would have voted for him to stay with the sheep. What’s the point? You must listen to your own heart. God says you’re on your way to becoming a disciple when you can keep a clear head and a pure heart. Do you ever wonder if everything will turn out right as long as you do everything right? Do you ever try to do something right and yet nothing seems to turn out like you had planned? Take heart—when people do what is right, God remembers. [Link]
The Drama of Redemption
“With one sacrifice he made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14 We would have scripted the moment differently. Ask us how a God should redeem his world, and we will show you! White horses, flashing swords. Evil flat on his back. God on his throne. But God on a cross? A split-lipped, puffy-eyed, blood-masked God on a cross? Sponge thrust in his face? Spear plunged in his side? Dice tossed at his feet? No, we wouldn’t have written the drama of redemption this way. But, then again, we weren’t asked to. These players and props were heaven picked and God ordained. We were not asked to design the hour. But we have been asked to respond to it. [Link]
The Power of Rewriting Your Story
We recognize that objects and money can be fleeting, and if we're too attached to them and they disappear, we're in for a world of hurt. But, what if we've become too attached to our own story? What if we unwittingly allow ourselves to become welded to a particular view of ourselves to the point of becoming immobilized? [Link]
When Perfect and New Wears Off
I remember the freshness of moving in, unpacking from the garage, having brand new things — and feeling on top of the world… [Link]
Far From Thankful
Hard things come our way and we lose focus. Hard people come our way and we lose courage. Hard times come our way and we lose faith. We are so far from thankful that we've gone to the other extreme of actually being ungrateful. What do you do? [Link]
Our Worship and Our Fears
Studying through the book of Jonah, it occured to me that what we worship depends on what we fear the most. Behind everything you worship is some fear that, without this person or thing, you’d be lost. Life wouldn’t be worth living… [Link]
Crude Humor Drags Down Funny People
Funny People, the latest Judd Apatow shock comedy, doesn’t have enough of a positive message to overcome its stream of bawdy stand-up comedy and profanity-laced script. Additionally, the film’s excessive length only magnifies its negative elements. [Link]
Angels & Demons Is Not the Movie You Think
On film, Angels & Demons is rewritten to follow the events of The Da Vinci Code. And so Christians are perhaps not unjustified in expecting this prequel/sequel to deal with our faith in a heavy-handed fashion. But it does not. [Link]
Family Dysfunction Takes Center Stage in Four Christmases
Four Christmases seems to have all the right ingredients to be fun, ‘tis-the-season escapist entertainment. Yet for all the effort the protagonists make to be likeable and the carefully-staged gags, the movie still falls horribly flat. [Link]
Why Did He Do It?
“He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.” Philippians 2:7 Holiday travel. It isn’t easy. Then why do we do it? Why cram the trunks and endure the airports? You know the answer. We love to be with the ones we love. The four-year-old running up the sidewalk into the arms of Grandpa. The cup of coffee with Mom before the rest of the house awakes. That moment when, for a moment, everyone is quiet as we hold hands around the table and thank God for family and friends and pumpkin pie. We love to be with the ones we love. May I remind you? So does God. He loves to be with the ones he loves. How else do you explain what he did? Between him and us there was a distance—a great span. And he couldn’t bear it. He couldn’t stand it. So he did something about it. “He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.” [Link]
There's always room for one more…
Thanksgiving is coming up and you're probably looking forward to a great time with friends and family. But what about using this holiday to help others feel loved? Perhaps you know of a family who is down and out, or your child has a friend whose dad isn't around, or there's an elderly woman who lives across the street. Invite them to share the festivities with you. Everyone wants to go someplace on the holidays – no one wants to celebrate by themselves. Set a couple extra places at the table for them and show your kids what this season should be all about.Coach Dungy has something special to be thankful for this year. Find out what it is. [Link]
The Best Way to Face Life
“Teach us how short our lives really are so that we may be wise.” Psalm 90:12 In a life marked by doctor appointments, dentist appointments, and school appointments, there is one appointment that none of us will miss, the appointment with death. “Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God” (Heb. 9:27 TEV). Oh, how we’d like to change that verse. Just a word or two would suffice. “Nearly everyone must die…” or “Everyone who forgets to eat right and take vitamins must die…” But those are not God’s words. In his plan everyone must die, even those who eat right and take their vitamins. Exercise may buy us a few more heartbeats. Medicine may grant us a few more breaths. But in the end, there is an end. And the best way to face life is to be honest about death. [Link]
The Final Gathering
“Always be ready, because you don’t know the day your Lord will come.” Matthew 24:42 Every person who has ever lived will be present at that final gathering. Every heart that has ever beat. Every mouth that has ever spoken. On that day you will be surrounded by a sea of people. Rich, poor. Famous, unknown. Kings, bums. Brilliant, demented. All will be present. And all will be looking in one direction. All will be looking at him. Every human being. “The Son of Man will come again in his great glory” (Matt.25:31). You won’t look at anyone else. No side glances to see what others are wearing. No whispers about new jewelry or comments about who is present. At this, the greatest gathering in history, you will have eyes for only one—the Son of Man. Wrapped in splendor. Shot through with radiance. Imploded with light and magnetic in power. [Link]
When Love is Real
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15 NASB The summer before my eighth-grade year I made friends with a guy named Larry. He was new to town, so I encouraged him to go out for our school football team… The result was a good news-bad news scenario. The good news? He made the cut. The bad news? He won my position. I tried to be happy for him, but it was tough. A few weeks into the season Larry fell off a motorcycle and broke a finger. I remember the day he stood at my front door holding up his bandaged hand. “Looks like you’re going to have to play.” I tried to feel sorry for him, but it was hard. The passage was a lot easier for Paul to write than it was for me to practice. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” You want to plumb the depths of your love for someone? How do you feel when that person succeeds? [Link]
Go With Your Heart
“After Mary saw Jesus, she went and told his followers, who were very sad and were crying.” Mark 16:10 Tears represent the heart, the spirit, and the soul of a person. To put a lock and key on your emotions is to bury part of your Christlikeness! Especially when you come to Calvary. You can’t go to the cross with just your head and not your heart. It doesn’t work that way. Calvary is not a mental trip. It’s not an intellectual exercise. It’s not a divine calculation or a cold theological principle. It’s a heart-splitting hour of emotion. Don’t walk away from it dry-eyed and unstirred. Don’t just straighten your tie and clear your throat. Don’t allow yourself to descend Calvary cool and collected. Please…pause. Look again. Those are nails in those hands. That’s God on that cross. It’s us who put him there. [Link]
Take Heart!
“May the Lord lead your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s patience.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5 The majority is not always right. If the majority had ruled, the children of Israel never would have left Egypt. They would have voted to stay in bondage. If the majority had ruled, David never would have fought Goliath. His brothers would have voted for him to stay with the sheep. What’s the point? You must listen to your own heart. God says you’re on your way to becoming a disciple when you can keep a clear head and a pure heart. Do you ever wonder if everything will turn out right as long as you do everything right? Do you ever try to do something right and yet nothing seems to turn out like you had planned? Take heart—when people do what is right, God remembers. [Link]
The Drama of Redemption
“With one sacrifice he made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14 We would have scripted the moment differently. Ask us how a God should redeem his world, and we will show you! White horses, flashing swords. Evil flat on his back. God on his throne. But God on a cross? A split-lipped, puffy-eyed, blood-masked God on a cross? Sponge thrust in his face? Spear plunged in his side? Dice tossed at his feet? No, we wouldn’t have written the drama of redemption this way. But, then again, we weren’t asked to. These players and props were heaven picked and God ordained. We were not asked to design the hour. But we have been asked to respond to it. [Link]
God With Us
“They shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us.’” Matthew 1:23 NKJV God’s treatment for insignificance won’t lead you to a bar or dating service, a spouse or social club. God’s ultimate cure for the common life takes you to a manger. The babe of Bethlehem. Immanuel. Remember the promise of the angel? “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’” (Matt. 1:23 NKJV). Immanuel. The name appears in the same Hebrew form as it did two thousand years ago. “Immanu” means “with us.” “El” refers to Elohim, or God. Not an “above us God” or a “somewhere in the neighborhood God.” He came as the “with us God.” God with us. Not “God with the rich” or “God with the religious.” But God with us. All of us. Russians, Germans, Buddhists, Mormons, truckdrivers and taxi drivers, librarians. God with us. [Link]
The Best Way to Face Life
“Teach us how short our lives really are so that we may be wise.” Psalm 90:12 In a life marked by doctor appointments, dentist appointments, and school appointments, there is one appointment that none of us will miss, the appointment with death. “Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God” (Heb. 9:27 TEV). Oh, how we’d like to change that verse. Just a word or two would suffice. “Nearly everyone must die…” or “Everyone who forgets to eat right and take vitamins must die…” But those are not God’s words. In his plan everyone must die, even those who eat right and take their vitamins. Exercise may buy us a few more heartbeats. Medicine may grant us a few more breaths. But in the end, there is an end. And the best way to face life is to be honest about death. [Link]
Lunch with a very important client
You make lunch appointments with your most important clients to spend time with them and get to know their needs, so how about doing the same with your kids? Schedule a day where you can pick them up at school and take them out to lunch. Make it a restaurant of their choice and let them choose the topics of conversation. Your client that day might be a little younger than you're used to, and may prefer a milkshake to a cappuccino, but the return on your investment will far outweigh any business deal.Can't do a lunch with your kids this month? Another great option is putting a note in their lunch box. Here are some you can download and personalize. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: When would you like to have lunch with me? [Link]
The Lure of the Vampire: An Interview with Kimberly Powers
The eternal attraction to Edward Cullen begs the question – just what is it about these books that captivates the hearts of so many girls? Author Kimberly Powers talks about the longing inside every woman. [Link]
The Manhattan Declaration: Defending Life, Marriage, and Freedom
Today at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., I and a dozen evangelical, Catholic, and Orthodox leaders face the microphones to announce the release of an historic document. [Link]
Known by Our Fruit
We will find out what we are made of by what comes out of our mouths in both good and bad circumstances. [Link]
Decide to Delegate: It's the Only Way to Make a Disciple
Many pastors struggle with stress and the lack of ministerial fulfillment. I would like to suggest that making one decision can provide the cure for both of these diseases. You must decide to delegate. [Link]
How to Fan the Flame of Romance in Your Marriage
The Song of Solomon is all about romance in marriage. Among other things, it very clearly shows that God intends for sexual intimacy in marriage to be rich, exciting, and fulfilling… [Link]
Be Devoted to Wherever God Has Placed You
Whatever our past, however we have been living and wherever we think we may be headed, we can change our outlook and our future from one of individualism and survival and to one of great anticipation and abundance. [Link]
Carrie Prejean, Sexting, and a Lost Generation
As Carrie Prejean continues to suffer, grow up, fall and stand back up in front of the entire world, parents should discuss with our own children the many truths that Carrie's drama reveals… [Link]
The Final Gathering
“Always be ready, because you don’t know the day your Lord will come.” Matthew 24:42 Every person who has ever lived will be present at that final gathering. Every heart that has ever beat. Every mouth that has ever spoken. On that day you will be surrounded by a sea of people. Rich, poor. Famous, unknown. Kings, bums. Brilliant, demented. All will be present. And all will be looking in one direction. All will be looking at him. Every human being. “The Son of Man will come again in his great glory” (Matt.25:31). You won’t look at anyone else. No side glances to see what others are wearing. No whispers about new jewelry or comments about who is present. At this, the greatest gathering in history, you will have eyes for only one—the Son of Man. Wrapped in splendor. Shot through with radiance. Imploded with light and magnetic in power. [Link]
God Became One of Us
“I came to give life—life in all its fullness.” John 10:10 For thousands of years, God gave us his voice. Prior to Bethlehem, he gave his messengers, his teachers, his words. But in the manger, God gave us himself. Many people have trouble with such a teaching. Islam sees God as one who sends others. He sends angels, prophets, books, but God is too holy to come to us himself. For God to touch the earth would be called a “shirk.” People who claim that God has touched the earth shirk God’s holiness; they make him gross. They blaspheme him. Christianity, by contrast, celebrates God’s great descent. His nature does not trap him in heaven, but leads him to earth. In God’s great gospel, he not only sends, he becomes; he not only looks down, he lives among; he not only talks to us, he lives with us as one of us. [Link]
Do You Doubt?
“Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind.” James 1:6 Doubt. He’s a nosy neighbor. He’s an unwanted visitor. He’s an obnoxious guest. He’ll pester you. He’ll irritate you. He’ll criticize your judgment. He’ll kick the stool out from under you and refuse to help you up. He’ll tell you not to believe in the invisible yet offer no answer for the inadequacy of the visible…His aim is not to convince you to confuse you. He doesn’t offer solutions, he only raises questions. Had any visits from this fellow lately? If you find yourself going to church in order to be saved and not because you are saved, then you’ve been listening to him. If you find yourself doubting God could forgive you for that, you’ve been sold some snake oil. If you are more cynical about Christians than sincere about Christ, the guess who came to dinner? I suggest you put a lock on your gate. I suggest you post a “Do Not Enter” sign on your door. [Link]
God Became One of Us
“I came to give life—life in all its fullness.” John 10:10 For thousands of years, God gave us his voice. Prior to Bethlehem, he gave his messengers, his teachers, his words. But in the manger, God gave us himself. Many people have trouble with such a teaching. Islam sees God as one who sends others. He sends angels, prophets, books, but God is too holy to come to us himself. For God to touch the earth would be called a “shirk.” People who claim that God has touched the earth shirk God’s holiness; they make him gross. They blaspheme him. Christianity, by contrast, celebrates God’s great descent. His nature does not trap him in heaven, but leads him to earth. In God’s great gospel, he not only sends, he becomes; he not only looks down, he lives among; he not only talks to us, he lives with us as one of us. [Link]
Do You Doubt?
“Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind.” James 1:6 Doubt. He’s a nosy neighbor. He’s an unwanted visitor. He’s an obnoxious guest. He’ll pester you. He’ll irritate you. He’ll criticize your judgment. He’ll kick the stool out from under you and refuse to help you up. He’ll tell you not to believe in the invisible yet offer no answer for the inadequacy of the visible…His aim is not to convince you to confuse you. He doesn’t offer solutions, he only raises questions. Had any visits from this fellow lately? If you find yourself going to church in order to be saved and not because you are saved, then you’ve been listening to him. If you find yourself doubting God could forgive you for that, you’ve been sold some snake oil. If you are more cynical about Christians than sincere about Christ, the guess who came to dinner? I suggest you put a lock on your gate. I suggest you post a “Do Not Enter” sign on your door. [Link]
Celebrating Thanksgiving When It's Hard to Give Thanks
For many of us who are out of work, battling illness, or suffering loss, giving thanks for anything may seem nearly impossible. There remain things to be thankful for, however. [Link]
The 'Path of Life' to Muslims, Sharia Law Walls Off Christians
Though the sharia is intended as the "path to life," the laws have displayed a dark side, both to Muslims and to religious minorities. [Link]
Cartooning the Word — R. Crumb’s “The Book of Genesis”
In all likelihood, most people would never even imagine a cartoon version of Genesis. Nevertheless, the cartoon version has arrived, and it is attracting no small amount of attention. [Link]
Now Is the Hour to Stand Up for Religious Freedom
This question of human freedom goes to the very heart of who we are as Christians and as Americans. [Link]
"The Blind Side" Shows Faith in Action
After burnishing her star power with the summer hit The Proposal, Sandra Bullock embodies Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side and, in the process, creates one of the year’s more memorable characters. And she’s no fictional creation. [Link]
Action and Heartbreak, Not Romance, the Focal Point of "New Moon"
With a strikingly different tone than it's swoony, spooky counterpart Twilight, New Moon actually answers the age-old question that most romantic comedy scripts never have the opportunity to: What happens after the girl actually lands the man—or in this case, vampire—of her dreams? [Link]
So-So "Planet 51" Gets a Boost from Much Better Movies
While recycling old ideas was basically status quo, surprisingly enough, borrowing from other otherworldly space-age flicks including Stars Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. and Alien actually elevates Planet 51’s overall enjoyment factor. [Link]
Do You Doubt?
“Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind.” James 1:6 Doubt. He’s a nosy neighbor. He’s an unwanted visitor. He’s an obnoxious guest. He’ll pester you. He’ll irritate you. He’ll criticize your judgment. He’ll kick the stool out from under you and refuse to help you up. He’ll tell you not to believe in the invisible yet offer no answer for the inadequacy of the visible…His aim is not to convince you to confuse you. He doesn’t offer solutions, he only raises questions. Had any visits from this fellow lately? If you find yourself going to church in order to be saved and not because you are saved, then you’ve been listening to him. If you find yourself doubting God could forgive you for that, you’ve been sold some snake oil. If you are more cynical about Christians than sincere about Christ, the guess who came to dinner? I suggest you put a lock on your gate. I suggest you post a “Do Not Enter” sign on your door. [Link]
The days are long. The years are short.
When your children were younger, it seemed as if the days were very long. Getting up often at night went a long way to convince you of that. But looking back now, you see that your kids are growing up fast and, in fact, the years have been short. And they will get shorter. There's no better way to live your life than enjoying your children right here, right now. So leave work a little early today and go play catch with your son or have a tea party with your daughter. There's no time like the present.For 10 ways to make your time for your family, read this. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: How can we spend more time together? [Link]
Timely Help
“We will find grace to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:16 NLT God’s help is timely. He helps us the same way a father gives plane tickets to his family. When I travel with my kids, I carry all our tickets in my satchel. When the moment comes to board the plane, I stand between the attendant and the child. As each daughter passes, I place a ticket in her hand. She, in turn, gives the ticket to the attendant. Each one receives the ticket in the nick of time. What I do for my daughters God does for you. He places himself between you and the need. And at the right time, he gives you the ticket. Wasn’t this the promise he gave his disciples? “When you are arrested and judged, don’t worry ahead of time about what you should say. Say whatever is given you to say at that time, because it will not really be you speaking; it will be the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11, emphasis mine). God leads us. He will do the right thing at the right time. [Link]
Teach With An Eye On Eternity
My wife and I may not be the best teachers. Our choice of curriculum may be antiquated. We may be disorganized, hap-hazard, or even clueless by some standards. We want our children to succeed in life and be responsible citizens, but what good have we done if their souls are lost in the process? Our highest goal is to prepare them for eternity. [Link]
Evangelicals and the Crisis of Authority
Christian freedom—academic freedom and personal freedom—is not the right to interpret the Bible in any way we see fit and then act on our interpretation. [Link]
When Christians Sin
Does the church too often reverse the gospel or react without a proper sense of biblical responsibility? [Link]
You Don't Start Back, You Start Over
Don't you wish that people could forget your mistakes as easily as God does? That's why we need to be careful about passing judgment on others. [Link]
Become a Hero, Man!
Even when life's disappointments leave a Christian man feeling unfulfilled, he still has God's spark inside waiting to ignite him into a Hero. [Link]
Is Porn Really That Big of a Deal?
When it comes to porn, the question facing many men is simple: is it really wrong? Is it really that big of a deal? [Link]
Teach With An Eye On Eternity
My wife and I may not be the best teachers. Our choice of curriculum may be antiquated. We may be disorganized, hap-hazard, or even clueless by some standards. We want our children to succeed in life and be responsible citizens, but what good have we done if their souls are lost in the process? Our highest goal is to prepare them for eternity. [Link]
Timely Help
“We will find grace to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:16 NLT God’s help is timely. He helps us the same way a father gives plane tickets to his family. When I travel with my kids, I carry all our tickets in my satchel. When the moment comes to board the plane, I stand between the attendant and the child. As each daughter passes, I place a ticket in her hand. She, in turn, gives the ticket to the attendant. Each one receives the ticket in the nick of time. What I do for my daughters God does for you. He places himself between you and the need. And at the right time, he gives you the ticket. Wasn’t this the promise he gave his disciples? “When you are arrested and judged, don’t worry ahead of time about what you should say. Say whatever is given you to say at that time, because it will not really be you speaking; it will be the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11, emphasis mine). God leads us. He will do the right thing at the right time. From Traveling Light [Link]
Thanksgiving traditions
What traditions does your family have for Thanksgiving? Maybe it's watching the parade or football game on TV. Maybe it's playing football or games in the backyard. That special dish you enjoy every year can be a great tradition as well. Each family member sharing what they're thankful for as you gather around the dinner table can be a very meaningful tradition. Your tradition might even include inviting a family that's less fortunate, or a lonely friend or relative, to share Thanksgiving dinner with you. So think about what tradition makes your holiday meaningful and memorable. If you don't have any traditions, start one this Thanksgiving.Here's a tradition your wife will give thanks for. Take a look at this list of age appropriate assignments for Thanksgiving holiday helpers. If you and your children will pitch in and share some of the Turkey Day tasks, it will be a more enjoyable holiday for everyone!Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: How can we all work together to help make this the best Thanksgiving ever? [Link]
When Love is Real
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15 NASB The summer before my eighth-grade year I made friends with a guy named Larry. He was new to town, so I encouraged him to go out for our school football team… The result was a good news-bad news scenario. The good news? He made the cut. The bad news? He won my position. I tried to be happy for him, but it was tough. A few weeks into the season Larry fell off a motorcycle and broke a finger. I remember the day he stood at my front door holding up his bandaged hand. “Looks like you’re going to have to play.” I tried to feel sorry for him, but it was hard. The passage was a lot easier for Paul to write than it was for me to practice. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” You want to plumb the depths of your love for someone? How do you feel when that person succeeds? [Link]
How Much Does Your Lifestyle Matter to You?
Have you ever stopped to think about how much you really have? [Link]
Curse Not the Day of Small Beginnings
Do you have a job that is “small," maybe even unfulfilling? Jesus understands your situation. In the natural, Jesus had a not-so-glamorous job… [Link]
How Much Does Your Lifestyle Matter to You?
Have you ever stopped to think about how much you really have? [Link]
10 Healthy Foods for Under $1
When it comes to food, there is a commonly held belief that if it's cheap, it can't possibly be healthy. But there are untold healthy options that are affordable on any budget… [Link]
Curse Not the Day of Small Beginnings
Do you have a job that is “small," maybe even unfulfilling? Jesus understands your situation. In the natural, Jesus had a not-so-glamorous job… [Link]
Restoring what the Locusts Have Eaten
Just because you have brokenness in your past does not mean you have to remain broken for the rest of your life. Kristine Steakley, author of Child of Divorce, Child of God, reflects on God's restorative grace for those who come from broken families… [Link]
Woof ‘n Worship? Seriously?
"I don't have any kids, so my pets have always been my children." Postmodern Americans see these statements as evidence of new lifestyle choices. Christians should see these statements as tragic. [Link]
Evangelicals and the Crisis of Authority
Christian freedom—academic freedom and personal freedom—is not the right to interpret the Bible in any way we see fit and then act on our interpretation. [Link]
Image is Everything: Christianity and the Church
In fashion, movies, and marketing, image is everything. Did you know that image is everything in the Bible, too? [Link]
When Love is Real
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15 NASB The summer before my eighth-grade year I made friends with a guy named Larry. He was new to town, so I encouraged him to go out for our school football team… The result was a good news-bad news scenario. The good news? He made the cut. The bad news? He won my position. I tried to be happy for him, but it was tough. A few weeks into the season Larry fell off a motorcycle and broke a finger. I remember the day he stood at my front door holding up his bandaged hand. “Looks like you’re going to have to play.” I tried to feel sorry for him, but it was hard. The passage was a lot easier for Paul to write than it was for me to practice. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” You want to plumb the depths of your love for someone? How do you feel when that person succeeds? [Link]
Home improvement day
Why not pick a Saturday next month and call it "Home Improvement Day." The basic idea is that the whole family will work together on the house – cleaning, painting, washing, trimming, etc. Order your kids' favorite pizza for lunch and, after the day is over, go out as a family to the movies. Not only will your palace get a good scrubbing, you'll share some good family time as well. And for an easier time getting your kids to do their chores year-round, download our customizable chore chart.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: When should we plan our Home Improvement Day? [Link]
The Letter Black Hits Hard on Breaking the Silence
The Letter Black is the latest female-fronted rock outfit to come along. However, this band has a little more water under its bridge than most, having toured prior as Breaking the Silence, ironically the name of their debut EP. [Link]
The Single Life: Staying Sunny on Cloudy Days
There's really no getting around it: weather affects our mood. Personally, I love a misty, grey day. But others perk up the moment the sun peeks from behind a cloud. One way or another, we're all—to some extent—impacted by the conditions around us. [Link]
Thanksgiving: The Power of a Thankful Heart
Thanksgiving breaks the power of the enemy. Whenever you give thanks to God, despite the most difficult circumstances, the enemy loses a big battle in your life. [Link]
Tanked! Out of Prison, Former NFL Agent Ready for Redemption
When former NFL player agent Tank Black got out of prison, it was time to start helping prisoners' children from the other side of the bars. [Link]
Boys Wearing Skirts to School? What’s Going On?
"Clothes are never a frivolity — they always mean something." Thus spoke James Laver, a famous costume designer and interpreter of fashion. He is right, of course. [Link]
Star Trek Goes Back to the Future
A favorite sci-fi franchise is reborn with Star Trek, director J.J. Abrams take on the early days of James T. Kirk, Spock and the other well-known crew members aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. The film’s fresh approach to the well-worn franchise takes viewers back to the origins of the crew's beloved characters. [Link]
My Sister's Keeper Explores Life, Death and Moral Dilemma
Filmmakers decided Jodi Picoult’s novel, My Sister’s Keeper, had big-screen potential. They also agreed that the original ending was a little too much. So in a move that’s been widely debated online, the story’s conclusion has been softened a little. [Link]
The Letter Black Hits Hard on Breaking the Silence
The Letter Black is the latest female-fronted rock outfit to come along. However, this band has a little more water under its bridge than most, having toured prior as Breaking the Silence, ironically the name of their debut EP. [Link]
Go With Your Heart
“After Mary saw Jesus, she went and told his followers, who were very sad and were crying.” Mark 16:10 Tears represent the heart, the spirit, and the soul of a person. To put a lock and key on your emotions is to bury part of your Christlikeness! Especially when you come to Calvary. You can’t go to the cross with just your head and not your heart. It doesn’t work that way. Calvary is not a mental trip. It’s not an intellectual exercise. It’s not a divine calculation or a cold theological principle. It’s a heart-splitting hour of emotion. Don’t walk away from it dry-eyed and unstirred. Don’t just straighten your tie and clear your throat. Don’t allow yourself to descend Calvary cool and collected. Please…pause. Look again. Those are nails in those hands. That’s God on that cross. It’s us who put him there. [Link]
Teen attitudes about sex
What is the biggest influence on your teenager's attitude about sex? You are. According to a report from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, teens say that parents most influence their decisions about sex, but parents of teens underestimate their influence in this area. 47% of teens indicate that their parents influence their decision about sex – more than friends (18%), religious leaders (7%), siblings (5%), teachers and sex educators (4%) or the media (3%) – and those findings have remained constant in similar surveys over the years.The key is to keep communicating your message. The sex discussion is not a one-time thing. It should be an ongoing dialog between you and your children. So keep talking. They're listening. Need a conversation starter? Take a moment with your teen to watch this video, and then discuss it.Huddle up with your teen tonight and ask: What do you think of this video? [Link]
He Calls You Home
The Son of Man came to find lost people and to save them. Luke 19:10 NCV God will do what it takes – whatever it takes – to bring his children home. He is the shepherd in search of His lamb. His legs are scratched, His feet are sore, and His eyes are burning. He scales the cliffs and traverses the fields. He explores the caves. He cups his hands to mouths and calls into the canyon. And the names He calls is yours. [Link]
Take Heart!
“May the Lord lead your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s patience.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5 The majority is not always right. If the majority had ruled, the children of Israel never would have left Egypt. They would have voted to stay in bondage. If the majority had ruled, David never would have fought Goliath. His brothers would have voted for him to stay with the sheep. What’s the point? You must listen to your own heart. God says you’re on your way to becoming a disciple when you can keep a clear head and a pure heart. Do you ever wonder if everything will turn out right as long as you do everything right? Do you ever try to do something right and yet nothing seems to turn out like you had planned? Take heart—when people do what is right, God remembers. [Link]
Discipline in public places
In his book The Strong Willed Child, Dr. James Dobson answered the following question:"My three-year-old daughter, Nancy, plays unpleasant games with me in grocery stores. She runs when I call her and makes demands for candy and gum and cupcakes. When I refuse, she throws the most embarrassing temper tantrums you can imagine. I don't want to punish her in front of all those people and she knows it. What should I do?"Dobson said, "If there are sanctuaries where the usual rules and restrictions do not apply, then your children will behave differently in those protected zones than elsewhere. I would suggest you have a talk with Nancy on the next trip to the market. Tell her exactly what you expect, and make it clear you mean business. Then when the same behavior occurs, take her to the car or behind the building and do what you would have done at home. She'll get the message."Learn more about the three discipline basics. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: Do you have some friends who are never disciplined by their parents? How do they behave? [Link]
The House Health Care Bill Is Full of Surprises
I wouldn’t be so concerned if this health care reform bill were just another example of bad legislation. But I fear much more is at stake. [Link]
All Truth is God's Truth
If science contradicts religion, or if religion contradicts science, at least one of them must be wrong… right? [Link]
Christian, Don't Feel Bad about Feeling Good
Too many Christians feel guilty about having a good time, even though God intended his creations to be enjoyed. Here's how to experience Pure Pleasure. [Link]
On Christ the Solid Rock
"We all look for it. We all refuse to live without it. We all think we've found it, but it can only really be found in one place. What is it that I'm talking about?" The solid rock on which to stand. [Link]
33 Ways to Say "I Love You"
Here are 33 ways to say "I love you" put in different colors so you and your spouse can take turns saying these to each other. Go ahead and give it a try. We think this is one marriage exercise that will make you smile. [Link]
Holiday Family Gathering Coming Up? Let the Beatitudes Quell Your Attitudes
Here's how to use the Beatitudes to this year be a distinct blessing to yourself and your family when you meet with them over the holidays. [Link]
Kids Caught in the Middle
Walking through an airport recently I watched a young couple engaged in a very heated debate (fight!) as their two young children watched helplessly. Staring at one another, pointing fingers, they seemed oblivious to the fact that others around them were uncomfortable, including their children. [Link]
The Drama of Redemption
“With one sacrifice he made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14 We would have scripted the moment differently. Ask us how a God should redeem his world, and we will show you! White horses, flashing swords. Evil flat on his back. God on his throne. But God on a cross? A split-lipped, puffy-eyed, blood-masked God on a cross? Sponge thrust in his face? Spear plunged in his side? Dice tossed at his feet? No, we wouldn’t have written the drama of redemption this way. But, then again, we weren’t asked to. These players and props were heaven picked and God ordained. We were not asked to design the hour. But we have been asked to respond to it. [Link]
God With Us
“They shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us.’” Matthew 1:23 NKJV God’s treatment for insignificance won’t lead you to a bar or dating service, a spouse or social club. God’s ultimate cure for the common life takes you to a manger. The babe of Bethlehem. Immanuel. Remember the promise of the angel? “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’” (Matt. 1:23 NKJV). Immanuel. The name appears in the same Hebrew form as it did two thousand years ago. “Immanu” means “with us.” “El” refers to Elohim, or God. Not an “above us God” or a “somewhere in the neighborhood God.” He came as the “with us God.” God with us. Not “God with the rich” or “God with the religious.” But God with us. All of us. Russians, Germans, Buddhists, Mormons, truckdrivers and taxi drivers, librarians. God with us. [Link]
On Faith: Religious Belief and the Military
In the days since the shootings at Fort Hood, the question of Muslims serving in the U.S. military has been unavoidable. [Link]
Heal from Depression
To fight depression, you can be most successful with strategies that help your brain, mind, and spirit together. Donald P. Hall, M.D offers ways to heal from depression in his new book Depression: A Biblical and Medical Approach to Emotional Wholeness… [Link]
Letting the Bible Transform Your Church
The Bible can transform our lives. It also can transform your church. The past year was phenomenal for our congregation. David Petro, our Minister of Education, gave us a novel idea: He suggested we "read the Bible." [Link]
Must Every Lesson or Sermon Focus on Jesus Christ?
How is the teacher or preacher to remain Christ-centered? [Link]
On Faith: Religious Belief and the Military
In the days since the shootings at Fort Hood, the question of Muslims serving in the U.S. military has been unavoidable. [Link]
The End Isn't Quite Soon Enough in "2012"
Sure, the disaster movie format provides countless opportunities to show off the latest CGI trickery, and there are a handful of memorable moments in 2012. But certainly not enough to justify the overly long running time. [Link]
By-the-Books Smarts VS Life Experience Debated in "An Education"
In addition to an old-fashioned love story complete with a gloriously throwback aesthetic, An Education poses the age-old question of which educational experiences are really the most important: what happens in the classroom or in "the real world." [Link]
Stage "Prairie" Lacks the Depth of Previous Incarnations
This week, I joined 2,000 others in witnessing the newest variation on this century old story: Little House on the Prairie, The Musical. An Ingalls tale without Michael Landon. A history book without a soul. This time, there were very few tears. [Link]
Claim God’s Forgiveness
“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Galatians 3:27 RSV You read right. We have “put on” Christ. When God looks at us he doesn’t see us; he sees Christ. We “wear” him. We are hidden in him; we are covered by him. As the song says, “Dressed in righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.” Presumptuous, you say? Sacrilegious? It would be if it were my idea. But it isn’t; it’s his. We are presumptuous not when we marvel at his grace, but when we reject it. And we’re sacrilegious not when we claim his forgiveness, but when we allow the haunting sins of yesterday to convince us that God forgives but he doesn’t forget. Do yourself a favor. Remember…he forgot. [Link]
Patience in hard times
Patience in a difficult situation has been defined as being in an unplanned place and walking at an unplanned pace. We've all been there. Most of us have stayed there for quite some time. But if you believe everything happens for a reason, which it does, then this difficulty you are going through has a purpose. It is building your character to become something better. Severe difficulty is the best part of life because it moves you from self-reliance to God-reliance. Embrace hardship as a good friend who will lead you to a more meaningful and purposeful life.Hear what Coach Dungy has to say about the value of patience and share your own with us.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What does patience mean? [Link]
Making Thanksgiving Memories that Matter
For many younger folks the economic difficulties of this holiday season could be the first time they've had to face such a challenge. Many of us older citizens, however, have "been there, done that…" [Link]
Falling Fertility Makes for Happy Economists?
Is the fact that fertility is falling around the world good news? You would certainly think so if you agree with the analysis cheerily offered by The Economist. [Link]
Bystanders and Civilization: The Richmond Rape Case
When a 15-year-old girl in Richmond, California, was brutally assaulted by as many as seven young men, the most barbaric act of all was the response of those in a position to help. [Link]
Who Can Be Saved Vs. Who Won't Be Saved
The Florida Department of Health has issued guidelines that designate which groups of people are expendable in the event of a crisis. [Link]
Thankful for… That?
Are there reasons to be thankful for the hiccups and hurts in our marriages? [Link]
Ending the Control Dance in Your Marriage
Dear Dr. David: My husband is controlling. When he tells me something I should change, I try it, except it is never good enough or once that situation is fixed, he will start in on something else… [Link]
A Mother’s Prayer
Watching families at Ft. Hood lose their loved ones this past week was difficult. Yet, the Bible is full of promises for parents, and we can trust God with our children even when faced with difficult times. [Link]
Let Him Change Your Mind
“Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2 NASB God…changes the man by changing the mind. And how does it happen? By…considering the glory of Christ… To behold him is to become like him. As Christ dominates your thoughts, he changes you from one degree of glory to another until—hang on!—you are ready to live with him. Heaven is the land of sinless minds…Absolute trust. No fear or anger. Shame and second-guessing are practices of a prior life. Heaven will be wonderful, not because the streets are gold, but because our thoughts will be pure. So what are you waiting on?…Give him your best thoughts, and see if he doesn’t change your mind. [Link]
Is your word your bond?
When you promise something to your kids, do you follow through? Or is it conditional? If something else better comes along, do you figure your kids will just get over it? You see, it's not the fact that your kids really needed the ice cream cone or the afternoon of bowling that you promised. They need a dad who sticks to what he says. They need a dad they can rely on in a world of chaos. Every time you break a promise, a little of your children's respect for you gets chipped away. Keep your promises and be a dad your kids can always count on.Blown a promise lately? Here's some advice on how to apologize to your kids. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do I always do what I say I will do? Has there been a time when I have let you down or disappointed you? [Link]
Who Does the Saving?
“A person is made right with God through faith, not through obeying the law.” Romans 3:28 If we are saved by good works, we don’t need God—weekly reminders of the do’s and don’ts will get us to heaven. If we are saved by suffering, we certainly don’t need God. All we need is a whip and a chain and the gospel of guilt. If we are saved by doctrine then, for heaven’s sake, let’s study! We don’t need God, we need a lexicon. But be careful, student. For if we are saved by having exact doctrine, then one mistake would be fatal. That goes for those who believe we are made right with God through deeds. I hope the temptation is never greater than the strength. If it is, a bad fall could be a bad omen. And those who think we are saved by suffering, take caution as well, for you never know how much suffering is required. It took Paul decades to discover what he wrote in only one sentence: “A person is made right with God through faith.” Not through good works, suffering, or study. [Link]
The Forgotten Battle: World War II's Aleutian Campaign
Every Veterans Day presents an opportunity to commemorate those who served in some faraway place long ago, many of whom paid that ultimate sacrifice. Some of these men, however, have been ignored too long. [Link]
Scouting the Divine Offers a Fresh Perspective on Familiar Scriptures
Margaret Feinberg's Scouting the Divine bridges the gap between modern believers and ancient scripture passages by drawing readers into the lives of a modern beekeeper, shepherdess, vintner, and farmer. Read some of Margaret's favorite spiritual "aha!" moments in our interview… [Link]
A Closer Look at Veteran's Day
I am ashamed to admit that it wasn’t until recently that I began to understand and appreciate the great freedom we enjoy as citizens of the United States. I am even more ashamed to admit that I had little appreciation for its cost. [Link]
Make the Most of Your Time
Have you used your daily quota of time for God's glory and your good? [Link]
Pixar's Up Soars with Emotional Depth
Much like the trailer for Marley & Me, which was all doggie cuteness without any indication of the sadness waiting in the wings, there’s so much more to Up than balloons and barbs traded between an over-eager boy scout and a grumpy old man. [Link]
Who Does the Saving?
“A person is made right with God through faith, not through obeying the law.” Romans 3:28 If we are saved by good works, we don’t need God—weekly reminders of the do’s and don’ts will get us to heaven. If we are saved by suffering, we certainly don’t need God. All we need id a whip and a chain and the gospel of guilt. If we are saved by doctrine then, for heaven’s sake, let’s study! We don’t need God, we need a lexicon. But be careful, student. For if we are saved by having exact doctrine, then one mistake would be fatal. That goes for those who believe we are made right with God through deeds. I hope the temptation is never greater than the strength. If it is, a bad fall could be a bad omen. And those who think we are saved by suffering, take caution as well, for you never know how much suffering is required. It took Paul decades to discover what he wrote in only one sentence: “A person is made right with God through faith.” Not through good works, suffering, or study. [Link]
Today is Veterans' Day
Freedom isn't free. It comes with a price. And that price is paid every day by the men and women who serve and defend our country. Take a moment today to remember those who are deployed around the world, and those who have served in the past. Think about the things they have given up in order to serve. And the times they've missed with their families, so that you and your family can remain free. This inspiring video says it all.Show your patriotism, and go out of your way to thank a veteran today.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do you think you would like to serve in the military some day? Why or why not? [Link]
NewsNote: Moral Clarity and the Fall of the Wall
The twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall is an important landmark in human history. That wall, one of history's most heinous symbols of oppression, stood as a physical reminder of Communism's essence. [Link]
Crass Over Class Prevails in a Charmless Ugly Truth
What prevents The Ugly Truth from contributing anything worthwhile to the rom-com genre is its sheer absurdity. Not only does the dialogue—and attempts at humor—scrape the bottom of the barrel morally, but there aren’t even 10 seconds of this forgettable movie that are believable. [Link]
Kutless: Returning to Their Roots
Despite their rock and roll prowess, Kutless is a worship band at heart. So that should help explain why the Portland band's 2005 release Strong Tower just went Gold and why the five-piece is now releasing a second worship effort. [Link]
Parents, Teens and Sex
Recently I asked a beautiful teenage girl who is very bold about her stance for purity what motivates her to hold her ground. She said simply, "My sense of morality, which is based on my faith and the values my mother and father have taught me." Parents, you are a huge influence on your teens… [Link]
What the Church Can Learn from Sesame Street
What would happen if our churches were to recognize our role in showing people the future, not just in our teaching and in our going but in our being? [Link]
A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional?
Pastor Kevin DeYoung, author of "Why We Love the Church" weighs in on the third way beyond emerging and traditional that PCA minister, Jim Belcher, proposes in his thought provoking new book, "Deep Church." [Link]
Shepherd, Preach Out of Your Core Identity
I have been called variously a preacher, pastor, minister and many other titles throughout my ministry. Although each conveys an element of what I do, I much prefer the word "shepherd." Why this distinction? [Link]
Finance Q&A: Planning for the Holidays on a Low Budget
Dear Deborah: I'm not looking forward to the holiday season ahead. My husband is self-employed and his business is barely surviving. We can't afford to spend on presents like we use to. Any suggestions? [Link]
Inexpensive Gifts for New Moms
If there are expectant parents in your circle of friends, you may be racking your brain to come up with a gift for the baby that will be useful, unique and affordable. I've got an idea… [Link]
Servant Leadership: Putting Principle into Practice
Most business leaders practice secular leadership models, which are based on using the people who work for you to get what you want. But other leaders are forging a new way by following an old path: the biblical leadership model based on Jesus' example of serving others. [Link]
He Understands
“God even knows how many hairs are on your head. So don’t be afraid.” Matthew 10:30-31 Why did Jesus grow weary in Samaria (John 4:6), disturbed in Nazareth (Mark 6:6), and angry in the Temple (John 2:15)? Why was he sleepy in the boat on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:38), sad at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35), and hungry in the wilderness (Matt.4:2)? Why? Why did he endure all these feelings? Because he knew you would feel them too. He knew you would be weary, disturbed, and angry. He knew you’d be sleepy, grief-stricken, and hungry. He knew you’d face pain. If not the pain of the body, the pain of the soul…pain too sharp for any drug. He knew you’d face thirst. If not a thirst for water, at least a thirst for truth, and the truth we glean from the image of a thirsty Christ is—he understands. And because he understands, we can come to him. [Link]
Don't cheat on your wife
A men's health magazine recently published five ways to avoid committing adultery: Address your needs. If you need a confidence boost, ask your wife for one. Sing each other's praises. Find new male friends. 77% of men who had had affairs have a friend who cheated. If your friends cheat, they make it seem normal. Consider the fallout. Your wife may experience symptoms similar to posttraumatic stress disorder for years – flashbacks, anxiety and depression. Do you really want to take that on? Change your expectations. Fixing your current marital relationship will take time, but you will end up being much more satisfied. Limit your one-on-one time with other women. Reduce the number of opportunities for temptation.And here's one we recommend. Give your wife full access to your home computer, laptop, Blackberry or cell phone. It will reassure her you have nothing to hide.Is it possible for a married couple to survive the pain of an affair? Yes. But it will take forgiveness, commitment, accountability and perseverance. Take a look at this video from marriage experts Gary and Barb Rosberg for some wise advice.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you worry that I'll cheat on you? Why or why not? [Link]
Dave Says – November 9, 2009
How do you balance ambition with contentment? [Link]
It’s Not Up to You
“The Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way God wants.” Romans 8:27 None of us pray as much as we should, but all of us pray more than we think, because the Holy Spirit turns our sighs into petitions and tears into entreaties. He speaks for you and protects you. He makes sure you get heard. Now, suppose a person never…learns about the sealing and intercession of the Spirit. This individual thinks that salvation security resides in self, not God, and that prayer power depends on the person, not the Spirit. What kind of life will this person lead? A parched and prayerless one. But what if you believe in the work of the Spirit? Will you be different as a result? You bet your sweet Sunday you will. Your shoulders will lift as you lower the buckling weight of self-salvation. Your knees will bend as you discover the buoyant power of the praying Spirit. Higher walk. Deeper prayers. And, most of all, a quiet confidence that comes from knowing it’s not up to you. [Link]
Refrigeration adulation
Why don't you get a small erasable marker board for your fridge and make up a weekly achievement list for your kids? It's simple. List your kids' names and then write one accomplishment each of them did that week. Praise them for setting a goal and reaching it. Whether it's getting an A on a math test or keeping their room clean, kids like to be recognized. This is just another simple way to heap encouragement on your little ones. Here's another… our downloadable Certificate of Achievement. Print one out and celebrate your child's achievement. You might even want to frame it so they can hang it in their room.Find out what Coach Dungy has to say about the importance of encouraging young children.Huddle up with your kids tonight and tell them: I'm proud of you because ____________. [Link]
Studying the Bible: The Future and Prophetic Scenarios
The best way to "keep watch" as Jesus commanded is to know what God has revealed and to attempt a biblical understanding of events. Just bear in mind that not all end-times opinions are facts. [Link]
The Fort Hood Shooter and Benedict Arnold
Did the Fort Hood shooter just "go over the brink"? Wouldn’t the simpler guess be that a member of our Armed Forces switched sides… like Benedict Arnold? [Link]
Afghanistan: The Weighty Decision of Just War
I have great sympathy for President Obama on the issue of Afghanistan—because the moral implications of his decision are staggering. [Link]
In the Name of Sacrifice: Uncovering Abuse in Mission
"All God’s Children" tells the devastating story of at least two decades of abuse that went on at Mamou Alliance Academy in Guinea — all in the name of Christian missions. [Link]
9 Success Factors after Saying "I Do"
After you say “I do,” there are some things you must do to build a great marriage. Here are nine factors that will help you and your spouse enjoy a happy marriage that lasts… [Link]
How Do I Stop Losing it With My Kids?
Dinner is late again, and the living room looks like a failed disaster relief effort. You ask your son to put away his part of the mess, but he ignores you… [Link]
The Two Shall Become One, Part Three
The oneness of the marital union is based upon the two individuals brought together by covenant. They are unique. They bring various gifts, strengths, and weaknesses to their marriage. That is just as God intended. [Link]
In the Beginning…
“In him there was life, and that life was the light of all people.” John 1:4 I’ve always perceived the apostle John as a fellow who viewed life simply. “Right is right and wrong is wrong, and things aren’t nearly as complicated as we make them out to be.” For example, defining Jesus would be a challenge to the best of writers, but John handles the task with casual analogy. The Messiah, in a word, was “the Word.” A walking message. A love letter. Be he a fiery verb or a tender adjective, he was, quite simply, a word. And life? Well, life is divided into two sections, light and darkness. If you are in one, you are not in the other and vice versa. Next question? [Link]
Courteous Conduct
“Be wise in the way you act with people who are not believers.” Colossians 4:5 Those who don’t believe in Jesus note what we do. They make decisions about Christ by watching us. When we are kind, they assume Christ is kind. When we are gracious, they assume Christ is gracious. But if we are brash, what will people think about our King? When we are dishonest, what assumption will an observer make about our Master? No wonder Paul says, “Be wise in the way you act with people who are not believers, making the most of every opportunity. When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should” (Col. 4:5-6). Courteous conduct honors Christ. It also honors his children. When you surrender a parking place to someone, you honor him. When you return a borrowed book, you honor the lender. When you make an effort to greet everyone in the room, especially the ones others may have overlooked, you honor God’s children. [Link]
Not Perfect, "The Men Who Stare at Goats" Still Good for Laughs
Though not perfect, The Men Who Stare At Goats still makes for a good time at the movies. At this time of year when many films are self-important Oscar-baits, it’s refreshing to have one that’s main goal is to simply make us laugh. [Link]
Gwen Stacy Explodes Back with A Dialogue
Hardcore band Gwen Stacy explodes back onto the scene with A Dialogue, a fine collection of face-melters that let vocalist Geoff Jenkins scream his lungs out while drawing in some melodic moments as well. [Link]
The Men in Christ's Life: Peter
I relate not only to Peter's zeal for drawing closer to Christ, the desire to serve him, the desire to make things right and to motivate people, but also to his desire to be an example. Those around Peter saw not only his successes, but also his failures. And through these experiences, they could learn and grow. [Link]
What Are We Singing: More Precious than Silver
In her song, More Precious than Silver, Lynn DeShazo explores a number of elements created by God and considered of great value—silver, gold, diamonds. But did you know the song came to be because of a French fry? [Link]
And be Thankful: A Thanksgiving Meditation
What does God think of Thanksgiving? [Link]
Technology Shackles the Heart of "Disney's A Christmas Carol"
In Disney's A Christmas Carol, all viewers are left with is a familiar story with little discernable heartbeat. It seems inventiveness was saved exclusively for the visuals, which are gloriously thrilling at moments and as impersonal as an action sequence from your average video game the next. [Link]
Sci-Fi Not So Appealing or Funny in "Gentlemen Broncos"
The potential audience for Gentlemen Broncos encompasses lovers of bad science fiction, B-movies (or lower grade) and the strangely endearing film Napoleon Dynamite. Lovers of good comedy, however, are advised to look elsewhere. [Link]
Gwen Stacy Explodes Back with A Dialogue
Hardcore band Gwen Stacy explodes back onto the scene with A Dialogue, a fine collection of face-melters that let vocalist Geoff Jenkins scream his lungs out while drawing in some melodic moments as well. [Link]
The Shepherd Leads
“He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” Psalm 23:2 NKJV In the second verse of the Twenty-third Psalm, David the poet becomes David the artist. His quill becomes a brush, his parchment a canvas, and his words paint a picture. A flock of sheep on folded legs, encircling a shepherd. Bellies nestled deep in the long shoots of grass. A still pond on one side, the watching shepherd on the other. “He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” Note the two pronouns preceding the two verbs. He makes me…He leads me… Who is the active one? Who is in charge? The shepherd selects the trail and prepares the pasture. The sheep’s job—our job—is to watch the Shepherd. [Link]
What are your memories of your dad?
What were some of the things your father said to you when you were growing up? Take a look at this video for a fun trip down memory lane. Then think about how your kids will remember you. Your words have the power to bless and build up, or to curse and tear down. Choose them wisely.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What are some of the things you'll remember me saying when you are my age? [Link]
What My Wife Taught Me about Glory and Power
Through it all, my wife Maria has shown me what it means that the woman is "the glory of man" (1 Cor. 11:7)… [Link]
Is Truth Really Plural? Postmodernism in Full Flower
Emergent leader John R. Franke's new book deserves close attention, for it presents a vision of truth we are sure to confront in years to come. [Link]
Life Together: Being the Church vs Just Doing Church
It is not enough to respond to the marriage crisis within the church by saying, “My marriage is fine!” If we abide together in Christ, then we together must prepare and care for marriage generally, and intervene specifically when any marriage is endangered. This is not happening on the scale that it should within the American church. [Link]
How To Identify A Reliable Preacher
Church history give us some direction regarding how to find one. Here's a brief list of five questions (based on the five sola’s of the Reformation) that can help you discern the reliability of a particular teacher or preacher. [Link]
Why We Need Parables
How many times have we sat in a church service or class that was numbing our brain when the preacher or teacher said those magic words that jerked us back to life: "Let me tell you a little story…." [Link]
Correct People Compassionately
Address workplace failures with a balance on relationships and results. [Link]
The Workaholic
As a former workaholic myself, I can tell you the root of overworking is often 1) a fear of loss, and 2) a need for self-acceptance created by performance. [Link]
Settle A Debt for Less than You Owe?
In a time of widespread job losses and rising credit-card delinquencies, the radio ads are ear-catching: "Settle your outstanding debt for just pennies on the dollar — without filing for bankruptcy!" But are debt-settlement companies too good to be true? [Link]
Our Ultimate Dilemma
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” John 11:25 NIV Her words were full of despair. “If you had been here…” She stares into the Master’s face with confused eyes. She’d been strong long enough; now it hurt too badly. Lazarus was dead. Her brother was gone. And the one man who could have made a difference didn’t. He hadn’t even made it for the burial. Something about death makes us accuse God of betrayal. “If God were here there would have been no death!” we claim. You see, if God is God anywhere, he has to be God in the face of death. Pop psychology can deal with depression. Pep talks can deal with pessimism. Prosperity can handle hunger. But only God can deal with our ultimate dilemma—death. And only the God of the Bible has dared to stand on the canyon’s edge and offer an answer. He has to be God in the face of death. If not, he is not God anywhere. [Link]
Shared activities = a healthy family
Dr. Gary Smalley, in his book The Key to Your Child's Heart, relates the following: "Several years ago I used to speak to groups of four hundred to two thousand people in fifty cities annually. I began to notice that certain families in the audiences experienced unusually happy interaction among themselves. I was intrigued by this and began to do a study. I would interview the wife, husband and children separately. Each person was asked the same question: What do you believe is the main reason you all are so close and happy as a family?What I found amazed me. Each family member gave basically the same answer: 'We do a lot of things together.' "Want to make more memories with your family? Here are some great ideas for activities you can do together. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What is something fun and free we can do this weekend? [Link]
Despite Everything, We Are So Blessed
What are you facing today? Foreclosure? Unemployment? Bill collectors? Here's a story of hope that will put things in perspective… [Link]
Nostradamus's Doomsday Gets Plenty of Airtime
Hardly a day goes by without at least one show on the History Channel touting some doomsday scenario and how it was foretold. [Link]
Population Control in an Aging Society
Most would agree that conserving resources and minimizing adverse impacts on the environment make sense, but something has gone terribly awry within the Green Movement. [Link]
Boy-Man Meets Jimmy Carter on the No. 4 Train
Aren't we all Boy-Men? Aren't we all showing off, doing pull-ups on the hang-on bar of life? [Link]
When We Are Called to Silence
The Lord shares with us that there is a time to speak up, but there is also a time to be silent. There are four main reasons to “keep silence.” [Link]
He Said-She Said: Grab Bag Questions and Answers
We receive so many questions each month, that there just isn't space or time to answer them all. So we've decided to mix it up and are giving short answers to five questions in one column. Read on to see what "He" and "She" have said. [Link]
The Two Shall Become One, Part I
Rather than testing the political winds to see which way they are blowing or casting our vote to determine the definition of marriage, Christians must turn to God’s word for his view. [Link]
Glimpses of God’s Image
“Everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything for his glory.” Romans 11:36 TLB The breath you just took? God gave that. The blood that just pulsed through your heart? Credit God. The light by which you read and the brain with which you process? He gave both. Everything comes from him…and exists for him. We exist to exhibit God, to display his glory. We serve as canvases for his brush stroke, papers for his pen, soil for his needs, glimpses of his image. [Link]
Darryl Strawberry talks about his father
Watch former All Star baseball player Darryl Strawberry talk about his father. Darryl, as successful as he was on the field, was plagued by problems off the field. And though he doesn't completely blame his father for his mistakes, Darryl does associate a lot of his troubles with being alienated from him. Take a look and then give us your feedback.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: When you are a parent, what is one thing you would do differently than your mother and I do? Why? [Link]
Don't Waver in Your Faith
Doubt is a powerful force. It can make us turn from doing the impossible to sinking beneath the waves of fear… [Link]
Do You Feel Like Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World?
As I speak and sing at women's conferences throughout the country, I have many opportunities to talk with women who feel like Raggedy Ann. They've had the life squeezed from them, but feel obligated to meet life's demands looking like Barbie… [Link]
Sub-Par Sub Car Drama in Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, a remake of a 1974 film that starred Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw, has two solid lead performances from Denzel Washington and John Travolta but suffers from certain excesses common to modern-day action films. [Link]
G.I. Joe Rolls Snake Eyes
G.I. Joe's reported $175 million budget can be seen up on the screen, as some of the film's special effects are effectively eye-catching. But viewers are left with a story that feels half-formed at best. Apparently not much of that $175 million went to the screenwriters. [Link]
God Uses the Common
“Those who try to keep their lives will lose them. But those who give up their lives will save them.” Luke 17:33 Heaven may have a shrine to honor God’s uncommon use of the common. It’s a place you don’t want to miss. Stroll through and see Rahab’s rope, Paul’s bucket, David’s sling, and Samson’s jawbone. Wrap your hand around the staff that split the sea and smote the rock. Sniff the ointment that soothed Jesus’ skin and lifted his heart… I don’t know if these items will be there. But I am sure of one thing—the people who used them will. The risk takers: Rahab who sheltered the spy. The brethren who smuggled Paul. The conquerors: David, slinging a stone. Samson, swinging a bone. Moses, lifting a rod. The caregivers: Mary at Jesus’ feet. What she gave cost much, but somehow she knew what he would give would cost more. [Link]
Never Give Up Parenting a Difficult Teen
You may right now be thinking, "I've been pushing against this wall forever…I just can't do it anymore." But let me encourage you to never give up…keep parenting, even when the going with your troubled teen gets toughest… [Link]
Let the Shaking Begin
Can you feel it? There is a shaking going on throughout the world. And like it or not, God is neither democrat nor republican. He is Spirit and those who worship Him, worship in Spirit and Truth. [Link]
The last thing you say to your children
Some radio and television personalities sign off their broadcast by using a familiar phrase. Walter Cronkite closed every newscast by saying: "… and that's the way it is." So how do you close every day with your kids? It could be a simple "Daddy loves you," or telling them why they make you proud. The point is continually reinforcing how much you treasure your children. It's the best way to end the day.Hear Coach Dungy's routine for putting his children to bed. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: Do you know how much I love you? [Link]
Dave Says – November 2, 2009
I'm 20 years old, and I'm working my way through college. I've never been in debt, and I've already got a good emergency fund in place … [Link]
God Entered Time
“They will sing about what the LORD has done, because the LORD’s glory is great.” Psalm 138:5 When God entered time and became a man, he who was boundless became bound…For more than three decades, his once limitless reach would be limited to the stretch of an arm, his speed checked to the pace of human feet. I wonder, was he ever tempted to reclaim his boundlessness?…When the rain chilled his bones, was he tempted to change the weather? When the heat parched his lips, did he give thought to popping over to the Caribbean for some refreshment? If ever he entertained such thoughts, he never gave into them…Not once did Christ use his supernatural powers for personal comfort. With one word he could’ve transformed the hard earth into a soft bed, but he didn’t. With a wave of his hand, he could’ve boomeranged the spit of his accusers back into their faces, but he didn’t. With an arch of his brow, he could’ve paralyzed the hand of the soldier as he braided the crown of thorns. But he didn’t. [Link]
Do you have room for one more?
November is National Adoption Awareness Month. Maybe you and your wife have toyed with the idea of adoption, but are unsure of whether to take the next step. What will be the affect of bringing a little one into your home? Can you afford it? How will he or she relate to your other kids? Will you have the energy? It is comforting to know that thousands of families have had the same questions and found they were much more fearful than they needed to be. And they are more joyful than they could have possibly imagined. Is adoption an option for your family? Read one man's story, then watch this inspiring video with your wife.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: What are your thoughts about adoption? Would you like to watch this video with me? [Link]
Telling Others the Gospel, Even When It's Difficult
Today, in an effort to be sophisticated and contemporary, many Christians have stopped trying to persuade others to follow Christ. There's an underlying feeling in our society that nice people just don't go around persuading other people to do things. [Link]
"As We See Fit": Hate Crimes Law Opens Many Doors
President Obama's "free to live and love as we see fit" language was set in a context larger than the hate crimes bill. He opened the door far beyond heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual. [Link]
They Call That Educational? The Campus Porn Film
A Maryland state senator blocked the showing of an X-rated film at a state university. Predictably, the Washington Post ridiculed him for it. But what’s really at stake here? [Link]
Marriage in Maine: Why We’d Better Fight for It
The beautiful old state of Maine faces a battle that will affect us all. But marriage is just one piece of this puzzle. Let me tell you why. [Link]
A Biblical Look at Intercultural Marriages
For thousands of years, scriptural principles have been misinterpreted and twisted to accommodate people's racial biases, prejudices, and personal agendas… [Link]
He Said-She Said: Grab Bag Questions and Answers
We receive so many questions each month, that there just isn't space or time to answer them all. So we've decided to mix it up and are giving short answers to five questions in one column. Read on to see what "He" and "She" have said. [Link]
Encouraging Spiritual Growth in Your Marriage
A marriage is really a relationship of three: God, your spouse, and you. When your spouse’s spiritual connection isn’t in place, your entire relationship suffers. [Link]
A Love That Never Fails
“Love never fails.” I Corinthians 13:8 NIV Some of you are so thirsty for this type of love. A love that never fails. Those who should have loved you didn’t. Those who could have loved you didn’t. You were left at the hospital. Left at the altar. Left with an empty bed. Left with a broken heart. Left with your question “Does anybody love me?” Please listen to heaven’s answer. God loves you. Personally. Powerfully. Passionately. Others have promised and failed. But God has promised and succeeded. He loves you with an unfailing love. And his love—if you will let it—can fill you and leave you with a love worth giving. So come. Come thirsty and drink deeply. [Link]
The Muck and the Mire
“God will show his mercy forever and ever to those who worship and serve him.” Luke 1:50 For thirty-three years he would feel everything you and I have ever felt. He felt weak. He grew weary. He was afraid of failure. He was susceptible to wooing women. He got colds, burped, and had body odor. His feelings got hurt. To think of Jesus in such a light is—well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn’t it? It’s not something we like to do; it’s uncomfortable. It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. Clean the manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes. Pretend he never snored or blew his nose or hit his thumb with a hammer. He’s easier to stomach that way. There is something about keeping him divine that keeps him distant, packaged, predictable. But don’t do it. For heaven’s sake, don’t. Let him be as human as he intended to be. Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out. [Link]
A Halloween Story
I grew up in a day when Halloween was little more than pumpkins, fall festivals, hayrides, and dressing up as a pirate or a farmer to go trick-or-treating. So I still hold to the child-like fun the night can hold, but I no longer view the day itself as innocuous. [Link]
Life is Long Enough
“All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old.” Psalm 139:16 No person lives one day more or less than God intends. “All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old.” But her days here were so few… His life was so brief… To us it seems that way. We speak of a short life, but compared to eternity, who has a long one? A person’s days on earth may appear as a drop in the ocean. Yours and mine may seem like a thimbleful. But compared to the Pacific of eternity, even the years of Methuselah filled no more than a glass… In God’s plan every life is long enough and every death is timely. And though you and I might wish for a longer life, God knows better. [Link]
Reformation Day: A Mighty Fortress is Our God
The protests that were written on October 31, 1517 for the public to see began the most dramatic reform within Christianity, one that prompted their author to also pen a bold affirmation of our mighty God. [Link]
Is the Reformation Over?
Contrary to some contemporary assessments of the importance of the doctrine of justification by faith alone, we recall a different perspective by the sixteenth-century magisterial Reformers… [Link]
How the Church Can Embrace Artists and the Arts, Part II
There are a number of reasons why more protestant churches haven't embraced the arts. But in simply addressing why we can move closer to rediscovering the proper place of the arts in the church. [Link]
Michael Jackson's "This Is It" Proves Entertaining But Not Revelatory
Instead of focusing on Michael Jackson's private life or his particular oddities, This Is It is really all about the music and a farewell tour that'll never see the light of day, a move that ultimately casts Jackson, and his legacy, in a more favorable light. [Link]
Still "Thirsty" After Tracey Bateman's Vampire Lit Novel
Stephenie Meyers didn't create vampire lit—her Twilight saga just revitalized the genre and brought it to the teen girls audience. Tracey Bateman's Thirsty capitalizes on this genre expectation—and appetite for a Christian alternative [Link]
Talk more and fight less?
In the book Fighting for Your Marriage, Dr. Howard Markman writes: "Although, of course, there are many exceptions to the stereotype of a female who tries to talk and a male who clams up, it's nevertheless very common for women to complain that men won't talk or listen, and for men to complain that women seem to want to stir up conflict too much of the time. Unfortunately, men can come to believe that women just like to criticize, and women can come to believe that men just don't care. Our observation is that women want to talk more, and men want to fight less. Both those goals are positive and worthy. If a couple knows how to talk safely about whatever they need to talk about, and if they know how to regulate emotions, they will be able to talk without fighting."Here's how you can talk to your wife without fighting.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you think I do a good job listening to you? If not, how can I improve? [Link]
Work Can Be Worship
“Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord.” Colossians 3:17 Have you seen the painting The Angelus by Jean-Francois Millet? It portrays two peasants praying in their field. A church steeple sits on the horizon, and a light falls down from heaven. The rays do not fall on the church, however. They don’t fall on the bowed heads of the man and woman. The rays of sun fall on the wheelbarrow and the pitchfork at the couple’s feet. God’s eyes fall on the work of our hands. Our Wednesdays matter to him as much as our Sundays. He blurs the secular and sacred. One stay-at-home mom keeps this sign over her kitchen sink: “Divine tasks performed here, daily.” An executive hung this plaque in her office: “My desk is my altar.” Both are correct. With God, our work matters as much as our worship. Indeed, work can be worship. [Link]
Waiting for God’s "Immeasurably More"
Lori was choosing to stay in a dating relationship that was clearly unhealthy and unsafe. I knew God had more in store for Lori. But Lori apparently didn't believe that… [Link]
To pay the house off
Dave has a very good reason (three of them, in fact) for why the argument to keep your mortgage doesn't hold water. [Link]
Handling Social Media With Your Kids
Social media has become part of the fabric of American youth culture. Here are some of my thoughts on handling social media in your home. [Link]
One Thing I Hate
I have learned to reserve my use of the word hate. I don’t say that I hate those who oppose my faith. I don’t hate those who have opposite political views. I don’t even hate the Michigan Wolverines even though that will get my Buckeye passport revoked. I do, however, have a few things for which I will use the word hate. [Link]
Christians Foregoing Facebook for 'Digital Fasting'
In an age when many religious leaders embrace the latest technology and even "tweet" from the pulpit, some are reassessing the potential negative impact of online overload. [Link]
8 Key Factors that Determine Long-Term Investing Results
Focusing our energies on maximizing factors we can control in our portfolio growth will contribute far more to our success than hit-and-miss efforts to raise raw performance results… [Link]
Re-Evaluating the "Safe" Part of Your Portfolio
What if the safety bond investors think they are getting is a mirage? In fact, bonds are particularly vulnerable to a specific risk: Inflation… [Link]
Work Can Be Worhsip
“Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord.” Colossians 3:17 Have you seen the painting The Angelus by Jean-Francois Millet? It portrays two peasants praying in their field. A church steeple sits on the horizon, and a light falls down from heaven. The rays do not fall on the church, however. They don’t fall on the bowed heads of the man and woman. The rays of sun fall on the wheelbarrow and the pitchfork at the couple’s feet. God’s eyes fall on the work of our hands. Our Wednesdays matter to him as much as our Sundays. He blurs the secular and sacred. One stay-at-home mom keeps this sign over her kitchen sink: “Divine tasks performed here, daily.” An executive hung this plaque in her office: “My desk is my altar.” Both are correct. With God, our work matters as much as our worship. Indeed, work can be worship. [Link]
Are you a stepfather?
Possibly the most frustrating aspect of being a stepfather is the dreaded feeling of helplessness when an event at the other household rocks the lives of your stepchildren – and your own life by extension. You can't compete with the father of your children and you shouldn't try to. But you can learn more and do what's best for your stepchildren. Here's how to begin. Huddle up and ask your step kids tonight: What can I do to make our relationship better? [Link]
Protect Yourself from the Bank Bounce Fee Bite
Banks have taken big financial hits over the past year, due in part to the sub-prime mortgage meltdown. One of the ways banks are making up for their losses is by charging fees… [Link]
How Dave got started
A listener wants to know how Dave established himself as a financial counselor that people could trust. [Link]
The Relationship Between Power and Peace
Unfortunately, we're not very good at distinguishing peace-making from peace-faking. [Link]
One of the Most Important Principles in Reading the Bible
Sometimes readers of the Bible see the conditions that God lays down for his blessing and they conclude from these conditions that our action is first and decisive, then God responds to bless us. That is not right. [Link]
The Idolatrous Religion of Conscience — A Lutheran Lesson for Us All
The ELCA's new principle of "bound-conscience" actually embraces and leads to what Martin Luther most feared — a burlesque of conflicting consciences without accountability to the Scriptures. [Link]
Getting to the Bottom of Your Anger
This article is especially for those of you who feel stuck in their anger. For you, anger is a constant companion… [Link]
Living in a Loveless Marriage
How can you get your emotional needs met when your spouse won't meet them? [Link]
Why Celebrate the Saints? A Parent’s Perspective
October 31st is the eve of All Saints' Day. But is teaching our children about the Saints a distraction from the Word of God? [Link]
Choose Love
“Those who live in love live in God.” I John 4:16 From the file entitled “It Ain’t Gonna Happen,” I pull and pose this suggestion. Let’s make Christ’s command a federal law. Everyone has to make God’s love his or her home. Let it herewith be stated and hereby declared: No person may walk out into the world to begin the day until he or she has stood beneath the cross to receive God’s love. Cabbies. Presidents. Preachers. Tooth pullers and truck drivers. All required to linger at the fountain of his favor until all thirst is gone. Don’t you ache for the change we’d see? Less honking and locking horns, more hugging and helping kids. We’d pass fewer judgments and more compliments. Forgiveness would skyrocket. Wild idea? I agree. God’s love can’t be legislated, but it can be chosen. Choose it, won’t you? For Christ’s sake, and yours, choose it. [Link]
Communicating with your kids
Former chairman of the Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan reportedly once said, "If I have made myself clear, I have misspoken." Mr. Greenspan had to be careful because anything he said could be taken out of context and the world financial system plunged into ruin. But the same is not true for good fathers. Clarity is the key to establishing a great relationship with your kids. Proven ways to better communicate with your children include: listening, not lecturing, learning to disagree, being positive, and being more action-based rather than verbal-based. To learn more about communicating clearly with your kids, read on. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do you think I listen to you enough? [Link]
Dave Says – October 27, 2009
Do you have an opinion on whether or not pre-paid legal is a product worth purchasing? [Link]
Money basics
Elizabeth asks how early you teach your kids about money and what are some basics to teach at a young age. [Link]
Christianity and the Dark Side: What About Halloween?
Many Christians are opting out of Halloween, even as the holiday now ranks second only to Christmas in terms of economic impact and festivities. Just how pagan is Halloween after all? [Link]
Feminism Unfulfilled — Why Are So Many Women Unhappy?
Has feminism produced unhappiness among women? That question is inescapable when seen in light of the historical context. [Link]
Can We Be Happy without Sex?
“Professor Kuehne,” a student will say, “are you seriously going to try to persuade us that if we forgo [sex] outside of marriage we can have a fulfilling life?" It's a tough sell these days. [Link]
Lifting the Gay Ban Would Do a Rank Disservice
Any rash move from President Obama on the already-distorted "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy could deeply affect morale. [Link]
Of Marshmallows and Wise Money Management
Would you like to raise your children to be wise money managers? Teach them to be two-marshmallow kids… [Link]
Make Sure Your Investment Decision-Making is Inside-Out
One of the more counterintuitive propositions we regularly put forth in these pages is the idea that one's investing decisions usually can be made with little regard for what's going on in the investment markets… [Link]
Better to Try and Fail – or Fail to Try?
What if you tried for the promotion but failed to get it, started a business but lost your investment, or tried a MLM system but got nothing other than a garage full of vitamins? Would your life have been better if you had avoided the hassle and the disappointment altogether? [Link]
Words of Hope
“Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that…we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 NIV Encourage those who are struggling. Don’t know what to say? Then open your Bible… To the grief stricken: “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Heb. 13:5 NIV). To the guilt ridden: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1 NIV). To the jobless: “In all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Rom. 8:28 NIV). To those who feel beyond God’s grace: “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). Your Bible is a basket of blessings. Won’t you share one? [Link]
Are you a workaholic?
A University of North Carolina study found that children of workaholics have the same levels of anxiety and depression as children of alcoholics. Scary, isn't it? So how do you know if you're working too much? Well, are you more excited about going to work than spending time with your family? Do you take work home with you? Do you work on weekends… and even on vacation? Does your work preoccupy your thoughts? Have your long hours at the office hurt your relationships? If you're addicted to work, you've got an important decision to make. The first is to admit you have a problem. Take a look at this video, then get help. Here's how to start. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do you feel I put my work ahead of your needs? [Link]
Two paycheck budget
When the paychecks come at different times, Dave tells Josh to set a budget for THIS month, not the perfect month. [Link]
Give Up Your Life
“He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.” Philippians 2:7 God grants us an uncommon life to the degree we surrender our common one. “If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life” (Matt. 16:25 NLT). Jesus did. He “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men…He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death” (Phil. 2:7-8). No one in Nazareth saluted him as the Son of God. He did not stand out in his elementary-classroom photograph, demanded no glossy page in his high school annual. Friends knew him as a woodworker, not a star hanger. His looks turned no heads; his position earned him no credit. “He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.” God hunts for those who will do likewise—people through whom he can deliver Christ into the world. [Link]
Marital Money Troubles? Find Peace with These Tips
A budget is an expression of your personality and motivational style. Consider these four money motivation styles and how they affect your marriage. [Link]
Regarding Others: Why Do People Matter?
Avoiding eye contact, not offering greetings, and other anti-social behavior is common, but hardly Christian. How do we overcome natural indifference – even hostility – toward others? [Link]
How Can I Show Her I've Changed?
This is a question I'm asked all too frequently as women leave marriages at astounding rates… [Link]
Needy Kids Find God's Love Tucked Inside Throwaway Boxes
Humble, ordinary shoeboxes. How is it that these same lowly shoeboxes can be transformed into glittering treasure chests that delight a child's heart and tell the timeless story of God's eternal love? [Link]
Where the Wild Things Aren’t
Some Christians are all exercised about the fact that Where the Wild Things Are might be too frightening for children. They're wrong. The movie tames the wild things too much… [Link]
Helping dads do a better job
If you really want to encourage fathers in your community to become passionate about their most important job – being a dad – then consider becoming an All Pro Dad Team Captain. As a Team Captain, you will host a monthly All Pro Dad's Day breakfast at your child's school that features food, fun and meaningful interaction between dads and their kids. We provide everything you need: a powerful video and easy-to-follow curriculum, all in an online format. Our unique program has been endorsed by the national PTA. Schools and families in all 50 states and eight countries rave about this simple but profound event. Learn more about becoming an All Pro Dad Team Captain. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Would you like to help me plan a monthly dads' and kids' breakfast at your school? [Link]
“No More”
“The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command.” I Thessalonians 4:16 Have you ever wondered what that command will be? It will be the inaugural word of heaven. It will be the first audible message most have heard from God. It will be the word that closes one age and opens a new one. I think I know what the command will be. I could very well be wrong, but I think the command that puts an end to the pains of the earth and initiates the joys of heaven will be two words: “No more.” The King of Kings will raise his pierced hand and proclaim, “No more.” The angels will stand and the Father will speak, “No more.” Every person who lives and ever lived will turn toward the sky and hear God announce, “No more.” No more loneliness. No more tears. No more death. No more sadness. No more crying. No more pain. [Link]
The Embers of Love
“God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:5 CEV What if you’re married to someone you don’t love—or who doesn’t love you? Many choose to leave. That may be the step you take. But if it is, take at least a thousand others first. And bathe every one of those steps in prayer. Love is a fruit of the Spirit. Ask God to help you love as he loves. “God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love.” Ask everyone you know to pray for you. Your friends. Your family. Your church leaders. Get your name on every prayer list available. And, most of all, pray for and, if possible, with your spouse. Ask the same God who raised the dead to resurrect the embers of your love… Isn’t it good to know that even when we don’t love with a perfect love, he does? God always nourishes what is right. He always applauds what is right. He has never done wrong, led one person to do wrong, or rejoiced when anyone did wrong. For he is love. [Link]
Appealing Aesthetics and Emotional Depth Propel "Astro Boy"
There's a surprisingly human element woven in with the science of Astro Boy. Not only does the protagonist make many self-sacrificing choices, but his underlying desire to connect with others is something that virtually anyone can relate to. [Link]
"Amelia" Chases a Dream in the Clouds
Considering the talent involved, Amelia should have been better. Director Mira Nair's previous film, The Namesake, was both sumptuous and meaningful. Here, Nair has taken on a quintessentially American story, meant to be inspiring but which instead comes across as empty. [Link]
Insure the vacation
A listener wants to know if Dave thinks it’s wise to buy trip insurance for a Hawaiian vacation. [Link]
Life As a Puzzle
Most people attack a puzzle by finding all of the pieces that have straight edges, forming the boundary of the puzzle and filling in the middle trying to match the picture. Many of us approach life in the same way, or at least try to. [Link]
How the Church can Embrace Artists and the Arts, Part I
When we talk about a New Renaissance of art within the church, important and obvious questions arise: Who is an artist? And what is church-appropriate art? [Link]
Putting a Face on Facebook
Let facebook serve its purpose. Use it to keep you in touch over the miles and years. However, don’t let it take the place of face to face conversation. As John says, a letter is good. Being there in person is lightyears better. [Link]
Extraordinary Communication: Sermons that Go Beyond Ordinary
Extraordinary communication has little to do with speaking skills, educational background or sermon preparation. It has everything to do with God showing up. [Link]
James Explores Justice and Truth in The Knight
The third installation of “The Bowers Files,” The Knight explores the relationship between justice and truth—do they always go together? Must they be one and the same? Which is more important? And is lying ever justified? [Link]
Relient K: Relient on No One Else
The blank slate facing Matt Thiessen wasn’t daunting in the slightest. Instead, the Relient K front man actually made “having fun” his only rule when it came to recording the band’s new album, Forget and Not Slow Down. [Link]
Leeland Stays Vertically Minded on Love Is on the Move
"It's just you and me, Jesus," sings Leeland Mooring on Leeland’s latest album, Love Is on the Move. The statement serves as a proper introduction to an incredibly vertical album—and fans shouldn't expect anything different. [Link]
Jesus Knows
“I am the one God chose and sent into the world.” John 10:36 God with us. He knows hurt. His siblings called him crazy. He knows hunger. He made a meal out of wheat-field grains. He knows exhaustion. So sleepy, he dozed in a storm-tossed boat Most of all, he knows sin. Not his own, mind you. But he knows yours. Every lie you’ve told. Person you’ve hurt. Promise you’re broken. Every deed you’ve committed against God—for all sin is against God—Jesus knows. He knows them better than you do. He knows their price. Because he paid it. [Link]
Where will your kids be this Sunday?
Former British Prime Minister William Gladstone commented: "Tell me what your young men are doing on Sundays and I will tell you what the future of England will be." Over 100 years later, the same holds true for America. Making church a priority for your family instills in your children the central importance and benefit of faith and its superior moral teachings. Research shows that children who attend church regularly are less likely to get involved in drugs and alcohol and more likely to go to college. Couples who go to church regularly are less likely to get divorced. And, if drawing closer to God is what the purpose of life truly is, there's no better place to do it than church.So what's your reason for not going to church? Watch what these folks had to say about it.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Where should we go to church this weekend? [Link]
Explain inflation
Janine has a pretty basic question … how does inflation work, and how can we stop it? [Link]
Swine Flu and the Common Cup
Why do our evangelical Lord’s Supper services so often look like the clinical communal rinse-and-spit of fluoride at an elementary school rather than like a loving family gathered around a feast table? [Link]
Should I Celebrate Halloween?
Someone once said, "For a Christian to celebrate Halloween would be as proper as a Holocaust survivor trying to celebrate Hitler's birthday." Yet so many believers continue to do so without considering what they are doing. Why? [Link]
Safe Schools Czar Offers Dangerous Change
With Kevin Jennings, "safe schools" turns out to be a euphemism for the advancement and promotion of the GLBT agenda. [Link]
Money and Morality: How Values Undercut the Economy
If people can’t control their own desires, can we really expect them to keep their financial house in order? [Link]
Is Now the Time to Find Your Calling?
Mary was laid off after years as an administrative assistant, and doesn't have a clear picture of what she would like to be doing; she just knows that she wants to do something "more creative" that "helps people in some meaningful way." She estimates that she can afford to be out of work about three months before she needs a paycheck coming in again. What should Mary do? [Link]
Money, Purpose, Joy
Matt Bell offers values-based personal finance advice and demonstrates how getting our priorities in order and implementing smart-money strategies can make true financial freedom attainable–regardless of income level. Read an excerpt from Money, Purpose, Joy. [Link]
The Power of One Thing: How to Intentionally Change Your Life
You want to get things done, but sometimes it seems overwhelming. Here's help! Taking you from where you are to where you want to be, Carlson provides a proven plan that breaks down the journey into doable chunks. [Link]
“Come to Me”
“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 Come to me…The invitation is to come to him. Why him? He offers the invitation as a penniless rabbi in an oppressed nation. He has no political office, no connections with the authorities in Rome. He hasn’t written a best-seller or earned a diploma. Yet, he dares to look into the leathery faces of farmers and tired faces of housewives and offer rest. He looks into the disillusioned eyes of a preacher or two from Jerusalem. He gazes into the cynical stare of a banker and the hungry eyes of a bartender and makes this paradoxical promise: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:29). The people came. They came out of the cul-de-sacs and office complexes of their day. They brought him the burdens of their existence, and he gave them not religion, not doctrine, not systems, but rest. [Link]
Are you feeling life "ain't so great?"
In the movie City Slickers, Billy Crystal feels the onset of a mid-life crisis and asks: "Did you ever reach a point in your life when you say to yourself: 'This is the best I'm ever going to look, this is the best I'm ever going to feel, the best I'm ever going to do, and it ain't that great'?" We've all been there. We've strived to achieve and get ahead in our careers and be honored for our accomplishments. And we wake up one day and realize "it ain't that great." What we do with that feeling of emptiness will speak volumes about our character. Will we get depressed and want to throw ourselves a pity party? Will we file for divorce and run off with a younger woman? Or will we use the opportunity of our midlife to examine ourselves, rearrange our priorities and work toward building a better future? Coach Dungy talks about midlife, the amazing opportunity it affords, and how it can be the defining moment of our lives.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: If there was one thing you would change about our lives right now, what would it be? [Link]
Knowing when to sell
Josh wants to know when he knows that it's time to get out of his car loan. [Link]
What to Say to the Depressed, Doubting, Skeptical, Confused & Angry
If you care about people and risk talking to the depressed, the doubting, the skeptical, the confused, and the angry, you will soon run into a person who will minimize your counsel and say it doesn't work. [Link]
Does God Really Answer Prayer? Yes, in Four Ways
We want answers when we pray! And it’s frustrating when it seems like God is silent. God does answer prayer, but He does it in four different ways… [Link]
Is Your Worship of Jesus Christ Wandering?
The moment we quit walking in dependence on the Holy Spirit, we're in danger of misplaced affections, of wandering after the world. [Link]
The Love Dare's Alex Kendrick on Christian Marriage and Movie Making
Occasionally, a book has a more powerful impact than even the authors anticipated. This is what happened with #1 New York Times Best Seller The Love Dare by Alex and Stephen Kendrick. Read our interview with Alex… [Link]
Conquering Your Fears
While I enjoy dressing up my baby girl and taking her to the church carnival, I don't enjoy Halloween. I don't like to be afraid… [Link]
The Single Life: Showing Souper Hospitality
I don't know about you, but I love having people over to my place for dinner on a regular basis. It's the best way I know to make sure my home stays really clean, and there's a sense of satisfaction in bringing people together for good food and conversation. But there's another reason to host social gatherings. [Link]
Brag About That!
“Don’t praise yourself. Let someone else do it.” Proverbs 27:2 Demanding respect is like chasing a butterfly. Chase it, and you’ll never catch it. Sit still, and it may light on your shoulder. The French philosopher Blaise Paschal asked, “Do you wish people to speak well of you? Then never speak well of yourself.” Maybe that’s why the Bible says, “Don’t praise yourself. Let someone else do it.” Do you feel a need for affirmation? Does your self-esteem need attention? You don’t need to drop names or show off. You need only to pause at the base of the cross and be reminded of this: The maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you. And that is a fact. So if you need to brag, brag about that. [Link]
Fatherhood as coaching
Watch this video clip, and as you see this coach encourage, exhort and inspire his players, reflect on how you might be able to do the same with your children, in your own style. Our words have the power of life and death, victory and defeat, encouragement and despair. Speak wisely, lovingly and passionately to your children.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you think I do a good job of encouraging our kids? [Link]
Fretting is Futile
“You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.” Matthew 6:27 No one has to remind you of the high cost of anxiety. (But I will anyway.) Worry divides the mind. The biblical word for worry (merimnao) is a compound of two Greek words, merizo (“to divide”) and nous (“the mind”). Anxiety splits our energy between today’s priorities and tomorrow’s problems. Part of our mind is on the now; the rest is on the not yet. The result is half-minded living. That’s not the only result. Worrying is not a disease, but it causes diseases. It has been connected to high blood pressure, heart trouble, blindness, migraine headaches, thyroid malfunctions, and a host of stomach disorders. Anxiety is an expensive habit. Of course, it might be worth the cost if it worked. But it doesn’t. Our frets are futile. Worry has never brightened a day, solved a problem, or cured a disease. [Link]
Dave Says – October 20, 2009
My husband and I are both 37 years old, and we have two children, ages six and four … [Link]
Aging while investing
Linda and her husband are getting up there in years, and want to know where they should put their 401k money. [Link]
15 Steps to Overcoming Discouragement
Discouragement comes out of hopelessness. But so does hope. Here's how you can look to God, the source of A Hope and a Future. [Link]
Whose Religion Is the UN Protecting from Defamation?
The infamous "Defamation of Religion" resolution has been introduced again at the UN, just like it is every year. Here's why Christians cannot get behind this innocuous-sounding bill. [Link]
Too Many Laws Send Grandma to Jail
An Indiana grandmother named Sally Harpold was arrested for buying two boxes of cold medicine in less than a week. It's an example of too many regulations, and too little common sense. [Link]
Is the Economy Really Recovering?
With news reporting the recession is finally over and the stock market recovering over 50% from the March 9th low, we need to ask: is Main Street truly improving? [Link]
Transformers Sequel Lacks Any Real Human Connection
Just in case you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to watch someone else play videogames for two and a half hours, sitting through Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will definitely satiate your curiosity. [Link]
People Are Shallow, Observations Are Deep in Cheri
Chéri is a period-piece about shallow, immoral and deceptive people, yet its ultimate observations are deep, its resolution moral, and its strength is in how deceptively it reaches those conclusions. [Link]
Land of the Lost Should've Stayed Lost
Unlike the smart writing and savvy direction of Star Trek, Land of the Lost only has Will Ferrell's over-the-top attempts to deliver the funny. And when some of the movie’s biggest laughs involve Matt Lauer, you know you're in trouble. Deep trouble. [Link]
Permissive parenting = rebellion
In his book Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours, Dr. Kevin Leman writes: "The permissive parent essentially says, 'Oh, do your own thing. Whatever you want is ok.' My years of counseling parents and children have shown me that in a permissive environment, kids rebel. They rebel because they feel anger and hatred toward their parents for a lack of guidelines and limit setting." Children, even when they protest, want to know their boundaries. Make sure you set them. Give your kids some flexibility and freedom within the boundaries, but clearly set up the markers and enforce them. Start by knowing the 3 R's of discipline. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you think your mom and I do a good job explaining our rules to you? [Link]
Reveal their intentions
Lisa wants to have an educational savings account for her kids to go to college, but she wants them to have a hand in paying for it, too. [Link]
Love Rejoices in Truth
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” I Corinthians 13:6 NIV In this verse lies a test for love. Here’s an example. A classic one. A young couple are on a date. His affection goes beyond her comfort zone. She resists. But he tries to persuade her with the oldest line in the book: “But I love you. I just want to be near you. If you loved me…” That siren you hear? It’s the phony-love detector. This guy doesn’t love her…He may love her body. He may love boasting to his buddies about his conquest. But he doesn’t love her. True love will never ask the “beloved” to do what he or she thinks is wrong… Do you want to know if your love for someone is true? If your friendship in genuine?… Ask yourself: Do I influence this person to do what is right? [Link]
Self-help or spouse-help?
It's an interesting mark of our society today that one of the first things we encounter when we walk in a bookstore is the "Self-help" or "Self-esteem" section. Feeling good about ourselves seems to be a big business these days. But when's the last time you saw a bookstore section devoted to "Spouse-esteem?" On making your wife feel cherished and loved? On what you can do as a man to make your wife feel important and appreciated? It seems sometimes we are so focused on how we can be happy that we only concern ourselves with making our wives happy when we have some happiness to spare. Rather, an All Pro Dad is far more concerned with his wife's emotional well-being and will do all he can to ensure her happiness, regardless of whether he feels content or not. And more often than not, a true sense of joy will come to us when our primary concern is for her well-being, not ours. To learn how to be more attentive to your wife's needs, read this. Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you know how much I respect you and appreciate everything you do for our family? [Link]
Waiting for God’s "Immeasurably More"
Lori was choosing to stay in a dating relationship that was clearly unhealthy and unsafe. I knew God had more in store for Lori. But Lori apparently didn't believe that… [Link]
Christian Relief Groups Tread Carefully in Indonesia
Christian relief agencies working in the aftermath of Indonesia's earthquakes must delicately balance their faith and humanitarian aid as they enter areas hostile to Christianity. [Link]
Book Review – Calvin
It is here at last. For years now I have been waiting for a great biography of Calvin—the kind of biography which I would recommend without hesitation for those who would want to learn about the life of the great Reformer. In a year that has seen the arrival of at least half a dozen biographies of Calvin, this one, I believe, stands as the best. Written by Bruce Gordon, professor of Reformation History at Yale University, it is titled simply and properly, Calvin. [Link]
You Were Made for Ministry (Ephesians 2:1-10)
Before you leave today, I am praying that God will give you a new identity: I am a minister. [Link]
It’s Time to Change How You Interact with Your Adult Child
Let's look at two ways we need to implement the decision we've made to stop enabling and set boundaries for our adult children… [Link]
The Blessings of Unity in Marriage
Steve, a twenty-five year-old graduate with mountains of debt, walked away from a seemingly good working situation because it interfered with our unity as a couple… [Link]
Dr. John Rosemond on Disciplining Your Child Successfully
If you're struggling to get your kids to behave well, there's hope. Dr. John Rosemond's book The Well-Behaved Child offers practical ways parents can discipline kids successfully. [Link]
Room for Miracles
“I will not believe it until I see the nail marks in his hands and…put my hand into his side.” John 20:25 In our world of budgets, long-range planning and computers, don’t we find it hard to trust in the unbelievable? Don’t most of us tend to scrutinize life behind furrowed brows and walk with cautious steps? It’s hard for us to imagine that God can surprise us. To make a little room for miracles today, well, it’s not sound thinking. We make the same mistake that Thomas made: we forget that “impossible” is one of God’s favorite words. How about you? How is your imagination these days? When was the last time you let some of your dreams elbow out your logic? When was the last time you imagined the unimaginable?… Has it been awhile since you claimed God’s promise to do “more than we can ask or imagine?” (Eph. 3:20) [Link]
God’s Mighty Angels
“The angels are spirits who serve God and are sent to help those who will receive salvation.” Hebrews 1:14 Chiffon wings and meringue sweetness? Perhaps for angels in the gift books and specialty shops, but God’s angels are marked by indescribable strength. Paul says Christ “will come with his mighty angels” (2 Thess. 1:7 NLT). From the word translated mighty, we have the English word dynamic. Angels pack dynamic force. It took only one angel to slay the firstborn of Egypt and only one angel to close the mouths of the lions to protect Daniel. David called angels “mighty creatures who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands” (Ps. 103:20 NLT). No need for you to talk to angels; they won’t listen. Their ears incline only to God’s voice. They are “spirits who serve God,” responding to his command and following only his directions. Jesus said they “always see the face of my Father in heaven” (Matt. 18:10 NIV). Only one sound matters to angels—God’s voice. [Link]
Want to help dad
Jeremy can't be an enabler and continuously bail his father out of financial problems. Dave says there's a lesson for dad to learn. [Link]
Parents, Obey Your Children?
The most explicitly subversive literature is often presented to the very youngest among us — our children. Far too many parents seem not to notice. [Link]
Overcoming Prayerlessness
If you've never prayed, or are out of habit, it can feel like a foreign language. One remedy suggested by Paul is to "pray continually." [Link]
Are You Comparing, Competing, or Connecting?
It all started on the playground when we were little boys… [Link]
The 'Trick' in the Treat
Some of the costumes being donned these days – especially by young women – have me no longer viewing Halloween as so innocuous. [Link]
Not Just Child's Play in "Where the Wild Things Are"
Even with two talented writers onboard and a mostly faithful rendering of this seminal coming-of-age story, Where the Wild Things Are is ultimately big on imagination and arresting visuals but seriously slight of script. [Link]
"Law Abiding Citizen" Hits One of the Year's Low Points
Mixing sexual violence with moments of torture-porn, Law Abiding Citizen is one of the year’s low points at the cinema—an offensive, ugly piece of work that offers no moral nor anything memorable except its sadism. [Link]
Bethany Dillon: Married to Her Calling
Bethany Dillon bloomed early with an independent disc at 13 years of age. Now, at 21, she's married to Shane Barnard—of Shane and Shane fame—and is releasing her fourth proper studio album, Stop and Listen. [Link]
Absurdities and Ironies
As Christ gave his final breath, the earth gave a sudden stir. A rock rolled, and a soldier stumbled. Then, as suddenly as the silence was broken, the silence returned. And now all is quiet. The mocking has ceased. There is no one to mock. The soldiers are busy with the business of cleaning up the dead. Two men have come. Dressed well and meaning well, they are given the body of Jesus. And we are left with the relics of his death. Three nails in a bin. Three cross-shaped shadows. A braided crown with scarlet tips. Bizarre, isn’t it? The thought that this blood is not man’s blood but God’s? Crazy, isn’t it? To think that these nails held your sins to a cross?… Absurdities and ironies. The hill of Calvary is nothing if not both. [Link]
Raising bamboo and children
Did you know that there is a certain type of bamboo in Japan that only flowers once every 120 years? It's certainly puzzling how this plant can keep track of time, but everything that happens in the 119 years before it germinates will determine how much the bamboo will bloom. And that's a long time to wait to see the results. In the same way, children don't always blossom on your timetable. The love, discipline and instruction you pour into their lives cannot be immediately seen. Your job as a father is to prune and nourish your children in anticipation of their blooming. And once they do, you'll see them grow rapidly into patient, loving and consistent people. So be encouraged, the latest bloomers often produce the most striking and beautiful flowers. Coach Dungy shares his thoughts on patience, and allowing children to develop at their own pace.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you think I'm patient enough with our kids? [Link]
We're Changing Our Lives With Financial Peace
"I thought, Gosh, it would be awesome to have all this paid off and actually have some money to spend and not feel guilty about it," Shaun said. [Link]
Credit Cards, Student Loans and Financed Cars … Oh My!
"I was convinced that this debt would be "no problem"—that we'd pay it off in six months to a year after I started my shiny high-paying job," Rini said. [Link]
Go commercial
Lisa has her eyes set on getting into commercial real estate to help her family's restaurant business. What's the first step? [Link]
Is the Church Full of Hypocrites?
The charge that the church is full of hypocrites is manifestly false. Though no Christian achieves the full measure of sanctification in this life, that we all struggle with ongoing sin does not justly yield the verdict of hypocrisy. [Link]
The Forgotten Victims of Communism
Our children's textbooks are strangely void of even a mention of the 14 million political prisoners who either barely clung to life or died in inhumane Soviet Gulags. [Link]
Roman Polanski: Celebrity Justice in a Just Society
Roman Polanski's case is a classic example of a gross double standard of justice at work between the average citizen and the rich, powerful, and famous. [Link]
The Mighty Chickenosaurus: Playing God with Genetics
In the movie Jurassic Park, scientists used genetics to bring dinosaurs back to life. Now, one scientist says he wants to hatch a "chickenosaurus" — and he's serious. [Link]
How to Attract the Right Mate
Like birds, people don’t literally perch themselves on a high point and “call” out to find mates. But each person does have a unique mating call that will determine what kind of person he/she will attract. [Link]
Not So Fast: Slowing Down the Busy Family
Of all the groups most affected by the busyness epidemic—perhaps the American family has been the worst hit. Under all the self-assumed pressure, something gets buried. And it just might be our souls. [Link]
How Can I Show Her I've Changed?
This is a question I'm asked all too frequently as women leave marriages at astounding rates… [Link]
Take Risks for God
Use your uniqueness to take great risks for God! If you’re great with kids, volunteer at the orphanage. If you have a head for business, start a soup kitchen. If God bent you toward medicine, dedicate a day or a decade to AIDS patients. The only mistake is not to risk making one… He lavished you with strengths in this life and a promise of the next. Go out on a limb; he won’t let you fall. Take a big risk; he won’t let you fail. He invites you to dream of the day you feel his hand on your shoulder and his eyes on your face. “Well done,” he will say, “good and faithful servant.” [Link]
Money and character
Richard Halverson, the late U.S. Senate chaplain, wrote, "Jesus Christ said more about money than about any other single thing because, when it comes to a man's real nature, money is of first importance. Money is an exact index to a person's true character." So how do you handle money? Are you in deep debt? Or do you refuse to give anything to help those in need? At heart it's not a financial issue, it's a spiritual issue. So, if you spend more than you make, realize you need a radical dose of contentment. And if you're miserly towards the poor, you need a shot of compassion. The correct way to handle money is to share, save and then spend. Keeping this order keeps your character strong.Start now to teach your children proper money management. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: How should you share, save and spend your allowance? [Link]
Don't ask about that
Kathy's husband has been stealing from their envelope system and not talking to her. It's seriously affecting their marriage. [Link]
Is the Economy Really Recovering?
With news reporting the recession is finally over and the stock market recovering over 50% from the March 9th low, we need to ask: is Main Street truly improving? [Link]
The Greater Significance of October 31
One Halloween long ago, one man, a monk dedicated to the truth of scripture, challenged the leaders of his Church to debate – among other things – the selling of indulgences, and in the process reshaped history. [Link]
Is a Deacon Just a Servant?
There’s an entire generation of conservative evangelical churches where one would be more likely to find an unfrozen caveman in the congregation than a biblically-functioning deacon. [Link]
The Cries of the Poor
The biblical account of Boaz, a "prominent man," and Ruth, a young widow attempting to support herself as well as her widowed mother-in-law, is a beautiful example of personal financial sacrifice for the sole purpose of helping someone living in poverty and despair. [Link]
Ancient Riddles, Capitol Secrets Uncovered in The Lost Symbol
Dan Brown’s latest, The Lost Symbol follows Professor Robert Langdon through another tale of hidden power and complex ciphers in a deadly cat-and-mouse game in, around and below the streets of a well-known city. This time it’s Washington D.C. [Link]
From True Heroes to Celebrity Zeroes and Why It Matters
Despite the ample and never-ending evidence that fame, fortune, and beauty fail to bring lasting peace and satisfaction—in fact, often quite the contrary—Americans are more celebrity-obsessed than ever. We should be deeply concerned for a society that has elevated mere celebrity to hero status and for a church that has been flaccid in both asserting the true virtues of heroism and often embracing the same superficial valuation. [Link]
"A Serious Man" Struggles with an Inscrutable God
A Serious Man is one of the Coen brothers' finest efforts outside No Country for Old Men, explicitly addressing comparable religious questions and issues but adding a serious dose of their trademark humor. The story keeps viewers chuckling until the film's sudden, ominous conclusion. [Link]
An Act of Grace
Our Master lived a three-dimensional life. He had as clear a view of the future as he did of the present and the past. This is why the ropes used to tie his hands and the soldiers used to lead him to the cross were unnecessary. They were incidental. Had they not been there, had there been no trial, no Pilate and no crowd, the very same crucifixion would have occurred. Had Jesus been forced to nail himself to the cross, he would have done it. For it was not the soldiers who killed him, not the screams of the mob: It was his devotion to us. So call it what you wish: an act of grace; a plan of redemption; a martyr’s sacrifice. But whatever you call it, don’t call it an accident. It was anything but that. From God Came Near [Link]
How affairs happen
In the book His Needs, Her Needs: Building An Affair-Proof Marriage, author Willard Harley relays the following about how affairs start:"An affair usually begins as a friendship. Frequently your spouse knows your lover; not uncommonly, the third party is the husband or wife of a couple you both know and consider 'best friends.' In another common pattern, the outside lover comes from your spouse's family – a sister or brother. Or you may have met your lover at work.When an affair starts, it usually begins as a friendship. You share problems with the other person, and that person shares problems with you. As your friendship deepens, you start giving each other mutual support and encouragement, especially in regard to your unmet needs. Life is difficult. Many people become extremely disillusioned about their own lives. When they find someone encouraging and supportive, the attraction toward that person acts as a powerful magnet. Sooner or later, you find yourself in bed with your encouraging and supportive friend. It just seems to happen." The best way to prevent an affair is to stop it before it starts.Please read the 14 ways to affair-proof your marriage. Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: Are there things we can do to affair-proof our marriage? [Link]
The Dollar at the Precipice
Our currency is headed for a free-fall off a cliff in the international foreign-exchange markets. Why is this almost a certainty? [Link]
Stupid write off
Steve is about to pay off his condo but is worried about losing his tax write-offs. [Link]
Are You Putting Faith in the Wrong Promise?
Why is it that as Christians, as humans, we seem to think tough things shouldn't come our way? Why do we think we should be protected, shielded, untouched? [Link]
“Simply Unprecedented” — President Obama and the Gay Rights Movement
The attendees at the Human Rights Campaign's annual dinner heard the President of the United States make a breathtaking pledge. Was the rest of America listening? [Link]
The Dollar at the Precipice
Our currency is headed for a free-fall off a cliff in the international foreign-exchange markets. Why is this almost a certainty? [Link]
Teaching Kids to Think Christianly: God's World News
One of the chief reasons God's World News exists—to help families and schools learn how to talk about God's ongoing activity in the world as both creator and sustainer. [Link]
How to Run Your Business by the Book
The best guidebook for business is the most well-read book of all time: The Bible. Here's how you can run your business according to biblical principles. [Link]
Use the Media to Tap into the Hidden Job Market
There are many methods for tapping into the hidden job market, but they all share the same goal of identifying people or companies who have a need for someone with your skills and experience… [Link]
Finance Q&A: What's the Best Way to Improve My Credit Score?
Rebuilding your credit is a worthy goal. Here's one of the most important steps to take… [Link]
Jesus Resisted Temptation
When his accusers called him a servant of Satan, Jesus demanded to see their evidence. “Which one you convicts Me of sin?” he dared (John 8:46 NSAB). Ask my circle of friends to point out my sin, and watch the hands shoot up. When those who knew Jesus were asked the same question, no one spoke. Christ was followed by disciples, analyzed by crowds, criticized by family, and scrutinized by enemies, yet no one person would remember him committing even one sin. He was never found in the wrong place. Never said the wrong word. Never acted the wrong way. He never sinned. Not that he wasn’t tempted, mind you. He was “tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin.” Lust wooed him. Greed lured him. Power called him. Jesus—the human—was tempted. But Jesus—the holy God—resisted. [Link]
Daughters, dating, and monkey business
Watch this humorous clip and then ask yourself, "What am I doing to protect my daughter from a boy's wrong intentions?" The first step is to talk to your daughter and let her know it's okay – and right – to say "no" to a boy's advances.For more on talking to your children about sex, read this insightful article.Huddle up with your daughter tonight and ask: Do you know it's okay to say "no" to a boy who tries to touch you inappropriately? [Link]
Dave Says – October 12, 2009
My dad died earlier this year, and as a result my mom and I inherited his auto parts business … [Link]
Passing it on
Costs are going up for Grace's catering business, and she's got to find a way to up the prices without getting customers ticked. [Link]
Religion by Computer
Computerized Christianity. Push the right buttons, enter the right code, insert the correct data, and bingo, print out your own salvation. You do your part and the Divine Computer does his. No need to pray (after all, you control the keyboard). No emotional attachment necessary (who wants to hug circuits?). And worship? Well, worship is a lab exercise—insert the rituals and see the results. Religion by computer. That’s what happens when… You replace the living God with a cold system; You replace inestimable love with pro-forma budget; You replace the ultimate sacrifice of Christ with the puny achievements of man. [Link]
Actions speak louder than words
In his book Five Signs of a Loving Family, Dr. Gary Chapman relates the following: "Our children learn first and primarily by our model. They are forever observing our actions, our lifestyle. If what we say is not consistent with what we do, they are the first to recognize it and usually to tell us so. Someone has suggested that until a boy is fifteen, he does what his father says; after that, he does what his father does. This is both a frightening and wonderful thought for most parents." Do you know the 7 characteristics of successful parenting? Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: Do you want to be like me when you grow up? [Link]
Abortion and the American Conscience
The American conscience remains deeply divided over the question of abortion. Tragically, we have never experienced a sustained, reasonable, and honest discussion about abortion in the society at large. [Link]
The Gospel on Offense: The Faith of Tim Tebow
Tim’s a great example of an opportunity every believer has—to put our faith to work on the field of play where God has gifted us and called us. [Link]
A Command I've Not Obeyed: Give to the One Who Begs from You
Jesus commanded us in Matthew 5 to "give to the one who begs from you." I know all the major reasons why not to give when someone asks, but this text still unnerves and convicts me. [Link]
Thank God for Humiliation
I’m talking about the kind of humiliation that comes when you realize that your every sin has been made public before a holy God. We’re talking about the kind of humiliation that goes beyond embarassment to anguish. [Link]
Where is the Church in Our Marital Crisis?
In my last commentary, I argued that the prevailing lack of distinction between Christian and non-Christian marriage serves as a barometer indicating a serious lack of spiritual depth and theological understanding within the American church. Reaction to this article overwhelmingly confirmed this suspicion. [Link]
Six Keys to Good Fathering
What do kids need from dad? The following are six keys to strive towards while raising your kids… [Link]
Halloween Should Celebrate Saints, Not Sin
The original Halloween had more to do with faith than fear. [Link]
You Can Trust Him
Why did Jesus live on the earth as long as he did? Couldn’t his life have been much shorter? Why not step into our world just long enough to die for our sins and then leave? Why not a sinless year or week? Why did he have to live a life? To take on our sins is one thing, but to take on our sunburns, our sore throats? To experience death, yes—but to put up with life? To put up with long roads, long days, and short tempers? Why did he do it? Because he wants you to trust him… He has been where you are and can relate to how you feel. And if his life on earth doesn’t convince you, his death on the cross should. He understands what you are going through. Our Lord does not patronize us or scoff at our needs. He responds “generously to all without finding fault” (James 1:5 NIV). [Link]
Help from the Holy Spirit
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness. What a sentence worthy of a highlighter. Who does not need this reminder? Weak bodies. Weak wills. Weakened resolves. We’ve known them all. The word weakness can refer to physical infirmities, as with the invalid who had been unable to walk for thirty-eight years (John 5:5), or spiritual impotence, as with the spiritually “helpless” of Romans 5:6. Whether we are feeble of soul or body or both, how good to know it’s not up to us. The Spirit himself is pleading for us. [Link]
He Understands
Why did Jesus grow weary in Samaria (John 4:6), disturbed in Nazareth (Mark 6:6), and angry in the Temple (John 2:15)? Why was he sleepy in the boat on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:38), sad at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35), and hungry in the wilderness (Matt.4:2)? Why? Why did he endure all these feelings? Because he knew you would feel them too. He knew you would be weary, disturbed, and angry. He knew you’d be sleepy, grief-stricken, and hungry. He knew you’d face pain. If not the pain of the body, the pain of the soul…pain too sharp for any drug. He knew you’d face thirst. If not a thirst for water, at least a thirst for truth, and the truth we glean from the image of a thirsty Christ is—he understands. And because he understands, we can come to him. [Link]
The Nobel Committee Dishonors Itself
The announcement from the Nobel Committee defies belief, even as I've come to expect the inconceivable from the committee. [Link]
Funny Cast Can't Save "Couples Retreat" from Comedic Doom
For any couple looking for a recession-friendly date night escape, the title of Couples Retreat should be heeded as a warning—with the emphasis on "retreat." Trust me, you'll be glad you saved your hard-earned money. [Link]
Dave's take on term life
Dave has a reason for recommending term life insurance, and he details it here. [Link]
God's Gift of Hope in a Struggle with Autism
Social workers, psychologists and counselors gathered with Rachel, Philip and me in the conference room. "We think Philip has a mild form of autism." My heart sank… [Link]
Josh McDowell and Dave Sterrett: Thinking Critically about Oprah’s Spirituality
Josh McDowell and his coauthor Dave Sterrett have written the new book "O" God: A Dialogue on Truth and Spirituality to help Christians learn how to discern what's true and what's not in Oprah's powerfully influential teachings. Read the interview… [Link]
The Real Agenda Behind the Mojave Cross Case
The Mojave Desert cross has been covered in a plywood box. Could there be a more apt symbol of what the ACLU wants to do to religion in this country? [Link]
Green Fences Will Keep the Poor in Poverty
Punishing developing countries for their use of coal-fired — and environmentally "problematic" — power plants will certainly hurt the poor of those countries more than it hurts us. [Link]
Diversity and Controversy Shake Up Stockholm Syndrome
While the incredibly candid lyrical expositions follow in Derek Webb’s signature style, anyone who approaches this project hoping for the folksy, organic instrumentation is bound to be disappointed—but pleasantly surprised nonetheless. [Link]
Pillar: Road Confessional
Though Pillar plays hardball on stage each night, front man Rob Beckley admits a typical day on tour consists of "sitting around 23 hours so you can play one." For inquiring minds, here’s what these rockers do during a "day in the life." [Link]
Jesus Dispels Doubt
They had betrayed their Master. When Jesus needed them they had scampered. And now they were having to deal with the shame. Seeking forgiveness, but not knowing where to look for it, the disciples came back. They gravitated to that same upper room that contained the sweet memories of broken bread and symbolic wine… They came back. Each with a scrapbook full of memories and a thin thread of hope. Each knowing that it is all over, but in his heart hoping that the impossible will happen once more. “If I had just on more chance.”… And just when the gloom gets good and thick, just when their wishful thinking is falling victim to logic, just when someone says, “How I’d give my immortal soul to see him one more time,” a familiar face walks through the wall. My, what an ending. Or, better said, what a beginning! [Link]
Funny Cast Can't Save "Couples Retreat" from Comedic Doom
For any couple looking for a recession-friendly date night escape, the title of Couples Retreat should be heeded as a warning—with the emphasis on "retreat." Trust me, you'll be glad you saved your hard-earned money. [Link]
Romance, crayons and creativity
Play of the Day subscriber Brian wrote us with an ingenious idea. "A few months back, my wife purchased some water erasable crayons for our children to play with when they were in the bath. Well, I had the thought to borrow one of those crayons to write my wife a note every morning when I am in the shower. The overall effect on our marriage has been stunning. The romance is coming back. We are in a less than perfect marriage. We do fight from time to time, and I wish it was less often. Since I started writing these notes, which are sometimes Scripture, sometimes an apology, sometimes a steamy love note, things are getting better – not perfect – but better. I plan to keep it up! What is great is that my wife always writes me a note back. It is vitally important to appreciate each other daily, because with kids, and trying to survive in this economy, things get crazy busy."When is the last time you wrote a note for your wife? Here's how you can get started. Huddle up with your kids tonight and say: Let's write Mom a note to tell her how much we appreciate her. [Link]
Buy early
Should a college student with no credit history buy a house, or wait? [Link]
What David Letterman Can Teach Us About the Gospel
I’m not talking about re-tooling some Christian version of the late night comedian’s “Top Ten Lists” or his “Stupid Pet Tricks.” I’m not talking about his cynical humor, or emotionally detached coolness. I’m talking about why he was so scared of a blackmailer’s extortion. [Link]
Is Halloween Really that Significant?
The issue of Halloween presses itself annually upon the Christian conscience. What's the significance? [Link]
Rejoicing at the Unexpected
An interesting thing happened on the way to the pulpit on a recent Sunday. No, I wasn’t told about the lack of toilet paper in one of the restrooms, though that has happened. Instead, God changed my mind. [Link]
The Wisdom of Having an Emergency Fund Hits Home
As I've reflected lately on families now facing significant financial challenges, I've been reminded of a storm I found myself in several years ago. Mine arrived suddenly in the form of a phone call that came one September… [Link]
Secrets of Financial Survivors
Ben Sherwood's book The Survivors Club reveals insight into why some people beat the odds while others don't… [Link]
Making Money From Home
In the information age, work-at-home jobs are gaining new ground. In this article, we examine several work-at-home options — and alert you to common work-at-home scams… [Link]
Our Courteous Christ
I had never thought much about the courtesy of Christ before, but as I began looking, I realized that Jesus made Emily Post look like Archie Bunker. He always knocks before entering. He doesn’t have to. He owns your heart. If anyone has the right to barge in, Christ does. But he doesn’t. That gentle tap you hear? It’s Christ. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock” (Rev. 3:20 NASB). And when you answer, he awaits your invitation to cross the threshold… And when he enters, he always brings a gift. Some bring Chianti and daisies. Christ brings “the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). And, as he stays, he serves. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:45 NIV). If you’re missing your apron, you’ll find it on him. He’s serving the guests as they sit (John 13:4-5). He won’t eat until he’s offered thanks, and he won’t leave until the leftovers are put away (Matt. 14:19-20). [Link]
A lesson in chaos
The late Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a four-term U.S. Senator, had this to say about the importance of fatherhood: "From the wild Irish slums of the 19th-century Eastern seaboard to the riot-torn suburbs of Los Angeles, there is one unmistakable lesson in American history: a community that allows a large number of young men to grow up in broken families – dominated by women, never acquiring any stable relationship to male authority, never acquiring any set of rational expectations about the future – that community asks for and gets chaos."Watch this short video about the importance of being a good father. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: How can I be a better dad? [Link]
Taxing inherited money
There's no penalty, but you will have to pay income taxes on inherited retirement savings, unless it was your spouse's. [Link]
The Eight Habits of Spiritually Healthy People
How hard is it to die when you have so much wealth? Psalm 116 teaches us eight habits that can keep us spiritually healthy until death. [Link]
Megachurches Offer Relational Approach with Multiple Sites
Rick Moore and his congregation are part of an emerging shift away from single-location megachurches toward multiple site church that offers more than a good sermon. [Link]
Why We Don't Have Revival
The standard answers for churches lacking revival include sin, complacency, prayerlessness… but those answers are missing the point. [Link]
The Cross of Christ is Not a Secular Symbol
A looming constitutional crisis now hangs over the Mojave National Preserve in California, and the stage is set for a constitutional battle at the U.S. Supreme Court. [Link]
Why Wives Have Affairs
In my work with marriages hurt by affairs, by far there have been more situations where the wife was unfaithful. Let's look at some underlying causes for relationship affairs… [Link]
Christian Alternatives for October 31st
Halloween always brings up some of the same questions I faced when I first became a believer in 1974… [Link]
Living With Dad’s Agenda
Marriages can be severely impacted by differences in parenting styles, especially when one spouse runs the family in an overly authoritarian manner… [Link]
Everything You Need
May I meddle for a moment? What is the one thing separating you from joy? How do you fill in this blank: “I will be happy when_________________”? When I am healed. When I am promoted. When I am married. When I am single. When I am rich. How would you finish that statement? Now, with your answer firmly in mind, answer this. If your ship never comes in, if your dream never comes true, if the situation never changes, could you be happy? If not, then you…need to know what you have in your Shepherd. You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you. If you have the Shepherd, you have grace for every sin, direction for every turn, a candle for every corner, and an anchor for every storm. You have everything you need. [Link]
Thoughts on pre-marital sex
Want to open up some good discussion with your teen on the potential consequences of pre-marital sex? STDs aside, let's focus specifically on teen pregnancy.Watch this video with your older kids and then encourage them that the best thing for their future is to hold off on sexuality now.Huddle up with your teen tonight and ask: How could having sex now really ruin your future? [Link]
Something better than the 525?
With 2 kids in college and $16,000 saved in a 525 college savings plan, Bruce doesn't know if he should keep the money there. [Link]
A Finished Work
The message of Jesus to the religious person is simple: It’s not what you do. It’s what I do. I have moved in. Religious rule-keeping can sap your strength. It’s endless. There is always another class to attend, Sabbath to obey, Ramadan to observe. No prison is as endless as the prison of perfection. Her inmates find work but never find peace. How could they? They never know when they are finished. Christ, however, gifts you with a finished work. He fulfilled the law for you. Bid farewell to the burden of religion. Gone is the fear that having everything done, you might not have done enough. You climb the stairs, not by your strength, but his. God pledges to help those who stop trying to help themselves. [Link]
He was Reachable
“The Word became flesh,” John said. In other words…he was touchable, approachable, reachable. And, what’s more, he was ordinary. If he were here today, you probably wouldn’t notice him as he walked through a shopping mall. He wouldn’t turn heads by the clothes he wore or the jewelry he flashed. “Just call me Jesus,” you can almost hear him say. He was the kind of fellow you’d invite to watch the Rams-Giants game at your house. He’s wrestle on the floor with your kids, doze on your couch, and cook steaks on your grill. He’d laugh at your jokes and tell a few of his own. And when you spoke, he’d listen to you as if he had all the time in eternity. And one thing’s for sure, you’d invite him back. [Link]
An Uncommon Call
You have one. A divine spark. An uncommon call to an uncommon life. “The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.” So much for the excuse, “I don’t have anything to offer.” Did the apostle Paul say, “The Spirit has given some of us…”? Or, “The Spirit has given a few of us…”? No. “The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.” Enough of this self-deprecating “I can’t do anything.” And enough of it’s arrogant opposite: “I have to do everything.” No, you don’t! You’re not God’s solution to society, but a solution in society. Imitate Paul, who said, “Our goal is to stay within the boundaries of God’s plan for us” (2 Cor. 10:13 NLT). Clarify your contribution. Don’t worry about skills you don’t have. Don’t covet strengths others do have. Just extract your uniqueness. [Link]
The Journey to the Cross
Jesus died…on purpose. No surprise. No hesitation. No faltering. You can tell a lot about a person by the way he dies. And the way Jesus marched to his death leaves no doubt; he had come to earth for this moment. Read the words of Peter. “Jesus was given to you, and with the help of those who don’t know the law, you put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But this was God’s plan which he had made long ago; he knew all this would happen” (Acts 2:23 NCV). No, the journey to the cross didn’t begin on Jericho. It didn’t begin in Galilee. It didn’t begin in Nazareth. It didn’t even begin in Bethlehem. The journey of the cross began long before. As the echo of the crunching of the fruit was still sounding in the garden, Jesus was leaving for Calvary. [Link]
A Personal Invitation
When Jesus says, “Come to me,” he doesn’t say come to religion, come to a system, or come to a certain doctrine. This is a very personal invitation to a God, and invitation to a Savior. Our God is not aloof—he’s not so far above us that he can’t see and understand our problems. Jesus isn’t a God who stayed on the mountaintop—he’s a Savior who came down and lived and worked with the people. Everywhere he went, the crowds followed, drawn together by the magnet that was—and is—the Savior. The life of Jesus Christ is a message of hope, a message of mercy, a message of life in a dark world. [Link]
Is That All There Is
Maybe you’ve gone through the acts of religion and faith and yet found yourself more often than not at a dry well. Prayers seem empty. Goals seem unthinkable. Christianity becomes a warped record full of highs and lows and off-key notes. Is this all there is? Sunday attendance. Pretty songs. Faithful tithings. Golden crosses. Three-piece suits. Big choirs. Leather Bibles. It is nice and all, but…where is the heart of it?… Think about these words from Paul in I Corinthians, chapter 15. “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures” (NIV). There it is. Almost too simple. Jesus was killed, buried, and resurrected. Surprised? The part that matters is the cross. No more and no less. [Link]
A Place to Heal
He grants gifts so we can “prepare God’s holy people.” Paul reached into a medical dictionary for this term. Doctors used it to describe the setting of a broken bone. Broken people come to churches. Not with broken bones, but broken hearts, homes, dreams, and lives. They limp in on fractured faith, and if the church operates as a church, they find healing. Pastor-teachers touch and teach. Gospel bearers share good news. Prophets speak words of truth. Visionaries dream of greater impact. Some administer. Some pray. Some lead. Some follow. But all help to heal brokenness: “to make the body of Christ stronger.” Don’t miss it. No one is strong all the time. Don’t miss the place to find your place and heal your hurts. [Link]
Go the Distance
Jesus doesn’t say if you succeed you will be saved. Or if you come out on top you will be saved. He says if you endure. An accurate rendering would be, “If you hang in there until the end…if you go the distance.” The Brazilians have a great phrase for this. In Portuguese, a person who has the ability to hang in and not give up has garra. Garra means “claws.” What imagery! A person with garra has claws that burrow into the side of the cliff and keep him from falling. So do the saved. They may get close to the edge; they may even stumble and slide. But they will dig their nails into the rock of God and hang on. Jesus gives you this assurance. Hang on. He’ll make sure you get home. [Link]
Get Over Yourself
Columnist Rick Reilly gave this advice to rookie professional athletes: “Stop thumping your chest. The line blocked, the quarterback threw you a perfect spiral while getting his head knocked off, and the good receiver blew the double coverage. Get over yourself.” The truth is, every touchdown in life is a team effort. Applaud your teammates. An elementary-age boy came home from the tryouts for the school play. “Mommy, Mommy,” he announced, “I got a part. I’ve been chosen to sit in the audience and cheer.” When you have a chance to clap and cheer, do you take it? If you do, your head is starting to fit your hat size. [Link]
Refuse Trashy Thoughts
To listen to our vocabulary you’d think we are the victims of our thoughts. “Don’t talk to me,” we say. “I’m in a bad mood.” As if a mood were a place to which we were assigned (“I can’t call you. I’m in Bosnia.”) rather than an emotion we permit. Or we say, “Don’t mess with her. She has a bad disposition.” Is a disposition something we “have”? Like a cold or the flu? Are we the victims of the emotional bacteria of the season? Or do we have a choice? Paul says we do: “We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). Do you hear some battlefield jargon in that passage—“capture every thought,” “make it give up” and “obey Christ”? You get the impression that we are the soldiers and the thoughts are the enemies. Our assignment is to protect the boat and refuse entrance to trashy thoughts. The minute they appear…we go into action. “This heart belongs to God,” we declare, “and you aren’t getting on board.” [Link]
A Finished Work
The message of Jesus to the religious person is simple: It’s not what you do. It’s what I do. I have moved in. Religious rule-keeping can sap your strength. It’s endless. There is always another class to attend, Sabbath to obey, Ramadan to observe. No prison is as endless as the prison of perfection. Her inmates find work but never find peace. How could they? They never know when they are finished. Christ, however, gifts you with a finished work. He fulfilled the law for you. Bid farewell to the burden of religion. Gone is the fear that having everything done, you might not have done enough. You climb the stairs, not by your strength, but his. God pledges to help those who stop trying to help themselves. [Link]
He was Reachable
“The Word became flesh,” John said. In other words…he was touchable, approachable, reachable. And, what’s more, he was ordinary. If he were here today, you probably wouldn’t notice him as he walked through a shopping mall. He wouldn’t turn heads by the clothes he wore or the jewelry he flashed. “Just call me Jesus,” you can almost hear him say. He was the kind of fellow you’d invite to watch the Rams-Giants game at your house. He’s wrestle on the floor with your kids, doze on your couch, and cook steaks on your grill. He’d laugh at your jokes and tell a few of his own. And when you spoke, he’d listen to you as if he had all the time in eternity. And one thing’s for sure, you’d invite him back. [Link]
An Uncommon Call
You have one. A divine spark. An uncommon call to an uncommon life. “The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.” So much for the excuse, “I don’t have anything to offer.” Did the apostle Paul say, “The Spirit has given some of us…”? Or, “The Spirit has given a few of us…”? No. “The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.” Enough of this self-deprecating “I can’t do anything.” And enough of it’s arrogant opposite: “I have to do everything.” No, you don’t! You’re not God’s solution to society, but a solution in society. Imitate Paul, who said, “Our goal is to stay within the boundaries of God’s plan for us” (2 Cor. 10:13 NLT). Clarify your contribution. Don’t worry about skills you don’t have. Don’t covet strengths others do have. Just extract your uniqueness. [Link]
The Journey to the Cross
Jesus died…on purpose. No surprise. No hesitation. No faltering. You can tell a lot about a person by the way he dies. And the way Jesus marched to his death leaves no doubt; he had come to earth for this moment. Read the words of Peter. “Jesus was given to you, and with the help of those who don’t know the law, you put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But this was God’s plan which he had made long ago; he knew all this would happen” (Acts 2:23 NCV). No, the journey to the cross didn’t begin on Jericho. It didn’t begin in Galilee. It didn’t begin in Nazareth. It didn’t even begin in Bethlehem. The journey of the cross began long before. As the echo of the crunching of the fruit was still sounding in the garden, Jesus was leaving for Calvary. [Link]
A Personal Invitation
When Jesus says, “Come to me,” he doesn’t say come to religion, come to a system, or come to a certain doctrine. This is a very personal invitation to a God, and invitation to a Savior. Our God is not aloof—he’s not so far above us that he can’t see and understand our problems. Jesus isn’t a God who stayed on the mountaintop—he’s a Savior who came down and lived and worked with the people. Everywhere he went, the crowds followed, drawn together by the magnet that was—and is—the Savior. The life of Jesus Christ is a message of hope, a message of mercy, a message of life in a dark world. [Link]
Is That All There Is
Maybe you’ve gone through the acts of religion and faith and yet found yourself more often than not at a dry well. Prayers seem empty. Goals seem unthinkable. Christianity becomes a warped record full of highs and lows and off-key notes. Is this all there is? Sunday attendance. Pretty songs. Faithful tithings. Golden crosses. Three-piece suits. Big choirs. Leather Bibles. It is nice and all, but…where is the heart of it?… Think about these words from Paul in I Corinthians, chapter 15. “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures” (NIV). There it is. Almost too simple. Jesus was killed, buried, and resurrected. Surprised? The part that matters is the cross. No more and no less. [Link]
A Place to Heal
He grants gifts so we can “prepare God’s holy people.” Paul reached into a medical dictionary for this term. Doctors used it to describe the setting of a broken bone. Broken people come to churches. Not with broken bones, but broken hearts, homes, dreams, and lives. They limp in on fractured faith, and if the church operates as a church, they find healing. Pastor-teachers touch and teach. Gospel bearers share good news. Prophets speak words of truth. Visionaries dream of greater impact. Some administer. Some pray. Some lead. Some follow. But all help to heal brokenness: “to make the body of Christ stronger.” Don’t miss it. No one is strong all the time. Don’t miss the place to find your place and heal your hurts. [Link]
Go the Distance
Jesus doesn’t say if you succeed you will be saved. Or if you come out on top you will be saved. He says if you endure. An accurate rendering would be, “If you hang in there until the end…if you go the distance.” The Brazilians have a great phrase for this. In Portuguese, a person who has the ability to hang in and not give up has garra. Garra means “claws.” What imagery! A person with garra has claws that burrow into the side of the cliff and keep him from falling. So do the saved. They may get close to the edge; they may even stumble and slide. But they will dig their nails into the rock of God and hang on. Jesus gives you this assurance. Hang on. He’ll make sure you get home. [Link]
Get Over Yourself
Columnist Rick Reilly gave this advice to rookie professional athletes: “Stop thumping your chest. The line blocked, the quarterback threw you a perfect spiral while getting his head knocked off, and the good receiver blew the double coverage. Get over yourself.” The truth is, every touchdown in life is a team effort. Applaud your teammates. An elementary-age boy came home from the tryouts for the school play. “Mommy, Mommy,” he announced, “I got a part. I’ve been chosen to sit in the audience and cheer.” When you have a chance to clap and cheer, do you take it? If you do, your head is starting to fit your hat size. [Link]
Refuse Trashy Thoughts
To listen to our vocabulary you’d think we are the victims of our thoughts. “Don’t talk to me,” we say. “I’m in a bad mood.” As if a mood were a place to which we were assigned (“I can’t call you. I’m in Bosnia.”) rather than an emotion we permit. Or we say, “Don’t mess with her. She has a bad disposition.” Is a disposition something we “have”? Like a cold or the flu? Are we the victims of the emotional bacteria of the season? Or do we have a choice? Paul says we do: “We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). Do you hear some battlefield jargon in that passage—“capture every thought,” “make it give up” and “obey Christ”? You get the impression that we are the soldiers and the thoughts are the enemies. Our assignment is to protect the boat and refuse entrance to trashy thoughts. The minute they appear…we go into action. “This heart belongs to God,” we declare, “and you aren’t getting on board.” [Link]
He Said-She Said: Is Chivalry Necessary?
A male reader wants to be chivalrous but is told that his efforts to do so are not needed. Is this just old-fashioned thinking, should he stop doing these things and is chivalry really necessary? See what “He” and “She” have to say in response. [Link]
'Sex and the iWorld': Recovering Healthy Relationships
iWorlders are dissolving long-established boundaries because they believe that people are happiest making their own moral and relational choices–and the Church has turned a blind eye. [Link]
The Nuclear Sword Is Not In Vain
Thousands more die from civil wars in nations that have rejected civilized ways or have starved their people through the adoption of state-run economies. [Link]
Fall (not Halloween) Celebrations
Now is the time to plan for a fall festival or an alternative to Halloween for your community. [Link]
Christian Charity: Good News in Hard Times
There is one institution that has a clear and non-delegable duty to reach out and help those who are suffering. This great institution is the Church. [Link]
Experience Transformation through Tithing
While arguments rage on about whether tithing is a New Testament practice, the author of Tithing: Test Me in This looks above the legalities to the transformational power that occurs when wallets and hearts are opened. [Link]
Pursuing Your Passions with a Sound Mind
The improbability of my career shifting from money to music is a miracle and a mystery that has stretched our faith, but God has been faithful… [Link]
Raising compassionate kids
At dinner tonight, why don't you ask each of your children to name three people they know who could use our help? Perhaps an elderly neighbor or a classmate who's being picked on will be examples your kids can come up with. After they've given their answer, then ask your children to tell you what they can do to help those people. This exercise will show your kids how to identify those in need and how to address their needs. It doesn't take much to help the less fortunate feel special – just a little time and creativity. For more ideas on raising compassionate kids, read this.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do you know what "compassion" means? Who is the most compassionate person you know? [Link]
Dave Says – October 5, 2009
I'm 25 years old and have served in the military for seven years. I'm not sure I like what I'm doing as much as I did a few years ago … [Link]
The right time to buy
Jerry just went through bankruptcy, has six kids and child support, and only makes $26,000. How can he buy a home? [Link]
Why Christians Should Save the Pandas
Man, created in the image of God, can transcend self-interest and make sacrifices for the sake of struggling fellow-creatures. [Link]
Josh McDowell and Dave Sterrett: Thinking Critically about Oprah’s Spirituality
Josh McDowell and his coauthor Dave Sterrett have written the new book "O" God: A Dialogue on Truth and Spirituality to help Christians learn how to discern what's true and what's not in Oprah's powerfully influential teachings. Read the interview… [Link]
Pursuing Delight
I went for a walk this morning, and pretty much had the town to myself, it seemed. Few people were out and about at 5:30 in the cold, dark, pre-dawn. This was the first time this year I’ve had to wear a coat while walking and the first time I’ve been able to see my breath misting the air around me. Winter is fast approaching. [Link]
Parenting with Love and Logic
Parenting with Love and Logic shows readers how to raise self-confident, motivated children who are ready for the real world. Learn how to parent effectively while teaching children responsibility. Establish healthy control without anger, threats, nagging, or power struggles. [Link]
Find Time for the One You Love
Busyness is worn as a badge of honor in our society. But our full schedules are doing damage to our marriages and families… [Link]
Owning Your Shadow Side
I love belonging to a Mutual Admiration Society, where I smile at the best side of you and you adore the best side of me. But what if you knew my "shadow side"? [Link]
Don't outsource your prayers
For those who claim they don't have time to pray, a new website offers "prayer outsourcing." Users of this site may subscribe and let the company's computers recite prayers for them using text-to-speech software. Interesting, perhaps… but far less effective. Prayer is an essential part of life, and we need to make specific, planned time for it. This includes not only praying with our children before they go to bed, but periods of solitude where you personally speak to God. Those men who pray regularly will attest that it has transformed their lives and wouldn't dream of outsourcing it for anything in the world.Hear what Coach Dungy has to say on the importance of prayer.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: How can I pray for each of you? [Link]
Dave discusses paying the house off
Dave has a very good reason (three of them, in fact) for why the argument to keep your mortgage doesn't hold water. [Link]
Bullycide: Our Next Mission Field
Statistically, when it comes to Christian athletes helping the weak and the timid, we are missing in action. [Link]
How to Stay Christian in College
College campuses are overtly hostile to the Christian faith, and many Christian students give in to defeat. But Professor J. Budziszewski will help prepare you and your parents for the challenges you will encounter, and how to successfully overcome them. [Link]
Family Worship
The cares of the world, if we allow them to intrude, can destroy our spirit of worship and take away the joy of our relationship with God. [Link]
Slave Discipleship: Assuming the Posture of Power
How do you respond to slave discipleship? Probably through protest, much as Peter did when Jesus tried to wash his feet. [Link]
Truth Be Told, "The Invention of Lying" Is Woefully Misguided
In The Invention of Lying, Ricky Gervais brings to the screen a story with some genuine laugh-out-loud potential. But its sharp, unexpected turn only serves as the actor/director’s personal atheistic soapbox. [Link]
Girl Power Is Alive and Skating in "Whip It"
Conventional or not, Whip It is still fun to watch, thanks to Drew Barrymore’s surprisingly skilled direction, a killer soundtrack and a winning cast that definitely seems to enjoy throwing themselves into their respective roles. [Link]
Love Burns True in Campion's "Bright Star"
Jane Campion has made a career off of tortured love stories, yet Bright Star is different (even opposite, and superior). Her past films have been about tortured people who destroy their circumstances. This, conversely, is a bittersweet arc of pure people who are tragically tortured by circumstances. [Link]
Vintage baseball
Men are signing up in droves to play the game "old school" like it was played before 1880. Players don't use gloves, they wear funny looking uniforms and even use a gentlemen's agreement (players call themselves safe or out). In fact, before 1880, if a fielder caught the ball after it already bounced once, the batter was still out. Why is vintage baseball so popular? It could be that we're yearning for simpler times and true heroes. But you know what hasn't changed? The fact that you and your children can grab a ball and play catch anytime, anywhere. Some of the fondest memories men have are when their fathers took them out in the backyard or to a local little league field and shagged flies. And while the game of baseball has changed, using the game to spend time with your kids will always be in season. Do you know the inspirational story of Babe Ruth's childhood? Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: When can we play catch together? [Link]
Our Business is Weathering the Storm
"Because we have a debt-free business and a fully funded emergency fund, we have been able to weather the storm," Heather said. [Link]
The Texting Queen's Learning Her Lesson
"Turns out my 12-year-old has been texting her friends (at the back of the bus) ad nauseum, with the emphasis on 'nausea,'" Jeanne said. [Link]
A new engine
Either my car needs a new engine, or I need another car. How do I know which one I should do? [Link]
Are You Good Enough to Serve God?
I had a grudge against the "Proverbs 31 Woman," the one with the Martha Stewart resume who probably also wore a size 8. But the truth is God uses anyone willing to respect and serve him. [Link]
The 'Sympathetic' Road to Death: An Elderly Duty?
The so-called “right to die” can become, as one American politician suggested, a “duty to die,” especially as the costs associated with an aging population crowd out other priorities. [Link]
Are You Good Enough to Serve God?
I had a grudge against the "Proverbs 31 Woman," the one with the Martha Stewart resume who probably also wore a size 8. But the truth is God uses anyone willing to respect and serve him. [Link]
Experience Transformation through Tithing
While arguments rage on about whether tithing is a New Testament practice, the author of Tithing: Test Me in This looks above the legalities to the transformational power that occurs when wallets and hearts are opened. [Link]
Bruised by Booze: The Faithful Response to Addiction & Recovery
If we want to see God at work in our communities, I think we need to examine the lives that are being lost to self-destruction. [Link]
When Choosing a Career, Be Financially Realistic
Some careers, while honorable, rarely make large salaries. In these situations, budgeting and getting out/staying out of debt is crucial to answering your calling. [Link]
Making Money From Home
In the information age, work-at-home jobs are gaining new ground. In this article, we examine several work-at-home options — and alert you to common work-at-home scams… [Link]
Showcase Your Strengths through Storytelling
Storytelling can get you a job, a new client or a raise… [Link]
A soft answer turns away wrath
When you and your wife disagree and things start heating up, what should you do? Speak softly. Screaming matches never get anywhere – their only purpose is to crush feelings. You can get your points across without yelling. Speaking in a quieter voice will help bring peace to the situation and encourage honest and fruitful dialogue to help you both reach an acceptable conclusion. So turn down your volume and turn up solutions. Coach Dungy shares his thoughts on keeping your cool when conflict heats up.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do I raise my voice too much when we disagree? [Link]
Taxes on small business
Joey owns a plumbing company that is starting to take off, but he’s worried about having to pay huge taxes now that he is making money. Where can he invest to get a tax break? [Link]
How Paul Worked to Overcome Slavery
In his letter to Philemon, Paul does at least 11 things that work together to undermine slavery, whether that bondage is economic, racial, or sexual. [Link]
The Desert Shall Rejoice: Remembering Norman Borlaug
Borlaug's work is why "food today is cheap and widely available, and why famines have become relatively rare events." His "green revolution" made it possible. [Link]
What I Saw at the Muslim Prayer Rally
Islamic prayers reverberated over America’s front lawn Friday as some 2,000 Muslims gathered for the Jummah Prayer on Capitol Hill: A Day of Islamic Unity. [Link]
Finding "Comfort" in the Crisis
Whether they be complicated or simple, with long-term effects or temporary, trials and frustrations can hinder our spiritual growth, causing bitterness, self-pity and emotional hang ups, or they can be catalysts for growth and maps to finding eternal treasure… [Link]
The Single Life: Take Your Brain Back to School
Did you know you can wake up your brain? That’s right. The mental equivalent of a venti double-shot might be almost anything from playing Wii® to a walk in the woods—but one of the best “wake up” tools is to take your brain back to school. [Link]
Living with a Jealous Husband: Coping, Caring, Changing
Normally a self-assured woman, Tami had grown weary of her husband's subtle — and not so subtle — suspiciousness… [Link]
Doing your job with passion
Those who are successful in life show they are passionate about what they do. Watch this uplifting video with your children and then talk about why doing your job with enthusiasm is so important.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Why is enthusiasm so important? [Link]
The Desert Shall Rejoice: Remembering Norman Borlaug
Borlaug's work is why "food today is cheap and widely available, and why famines have become relatively rare events." His "green revolution" made it possible. [Link]
What I Saw at the Muslim Prayer Rally
Islamic prayers reverberated over America’s front lawn Friday as some 2,000 Muslims gathered for the Jummah Prayer on Capitol Hill: A Day of Islamic Unity. [Link]
Why Do the Heathen Rage? — International Blasphemy Day
September 30 is set as the observance of the first-ever International Blasphemy Day. This could be interesting. [Link]
Empty threats
Stephanie has been threatened with foreclosure on her second mortgage, but Dave doesn't think there is too much to fear. [Link]
Owning Your Shadow Side
I love belonging to a Mutual Admiration Society, where I smile at the best side of you and you adore the best side of me. But what if you knew my "shadow side"? [Link]
I Thought Jesus Came to Keep Me FROM Suffering!
The issue of marriage within the church—namely the noticeable lack of distinction between Christian and non-Christian marriage, given our equal propensity to divorce—is not about the preservation of a tradition or institution. The reality of marriage and our apparent lack of respect for that which “God has joined together” ultimately reveals a gaping chasm between biblical Christianity and cultural Christianity that must be closed if the church wants to be faithful to its mission. [Link]
Promotion? No Thanks
Getting promoted could move you away from what you do well. [Link]
Self-Marketing & Christian Humility: Are They Compatible?
Many Christians struggle with what is appropriate when marketing themselves in the world… [Link]
Money, Purpose, Joy
As I reread the biblical story of the prodigal son, I was amazed at how similar it was to my own story. My financial struggles — and redemption — began with a similar lesson. [Link]
Another way to be your child's hero
We truly appreciate your being a Play of the Day subscriber, but it's our heartfelt desire that you take the next step… from being an All Pro Dad reader to an All Pro Dad leader at your child's school. All Pro Dad's Day helps dads get better connected with their children, helps build stronger communities and creates lasting memories for kids and their dads. We are recruiting Team Captains for a monthly All Pro Dad's Day breakfast to be held at your child's school cafeteria. Here's how to learn more and sign up to receive your downloadable All Pro Dad's Day program resources, including a relevant, must-see video, discussion cards and PowerPoint options for each meeting. And, for moms and kids, be sure to ask your wife to check out the iMOM Morning program.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What would you think about having breakfast with me once a month at your school? [Link]
Is Contemporary Music Key to Church Growth?
Almost two-thirds — 64 percent — of congregations that switched to contemporary worship in the last five years saw an increase in worship attendance of 2 percent or more. [Link]
Why Do the Heathen Rage? — International Blasphemy Day
September 30 is set as the observance of the first-ever International Blasphemy Day. This could be interesting. [Link]
I Thought Jesus Came to Keep Me FROM Suffering!
The issue of marriage within the church—namely the noticeable lack of distinction between Christian and non-Christian marriage, given our equal propensity to divorce—is not about the preservation of a tradition or institution. The reality of marriage and our apparent lack of respect for that which “God has joined together” ultimately reveals a gaping chasm between biblical Christianity and cultural Christianity that must be closed if the church wants to be faithful to its mission. [Link]
Inspiring Story from the $999 Giveaway
"My dad actually won the last day of the [$999 giveaway]. I promise you there is no greater person to have won this gift," Josh said. Read more about why Josh praises his hard-working dad. [Link]
Christina's Downward Auto Spiral
What's really stupid is that if I had kept my first SUV, it would be paid off already. Ten years and I'm still making car payments! [Link]
Dave Says – September 28, 2009
I'm a teacher, and the school system I work for puts 13.5 percent of my pay into a public teacher retirement fund … [Link]
A collector counter offer
Matt wants to give a counter offer to a collector, but he's struggling with something. [Link]
A good compromise on video games
Reading a book is almost always superior to playing a video game, but most kids greatly prefer the latter, so here's a thoughtful compromise. If 13-year-old Evan Spencer wants to play a popular video war game for his Xbox, he first has to learn something about real war. That's because to earn permission from his father to play the game, the Ontario teen had to read the Geneva Conventions and promise to abide by their guidelines while strategizing on his virtual World War II battlefields. What a great idea. Video games, when monitored and controlled responsibly by parents, can help children learn.For a downloadable PDF version of a video game contract you and your kids should sign, go here. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What are your three favorite video games? How can we use those to help you learn more? [Link]
Forgiveness: For God's Glory and Your Own Good
Learning to forgive, as God forgives, helps you to grow into a mature, content, and joyful person. It glorifies God because it shows that He is more satisfying to your soul than revenge. [Link]
Learning to Trust in God's Provision
God wants us to trust in His provision for our needs, and sometimes that provision requires us to step out in faith and use what resources He has given us. [Link]
Lessons from Bull Durham
Recently the movie Bull Durham was on a cable channel and I watched it again. Hard to believe it has been over 20 years since it was released. In this article I am going to draw some spiritual applications from an R-rated movie. Gasp. [Link]
What a Woman Brings to Marriage
The Proverbs 31 woman is great and all. But the ultimate example who should inform what I bring to marriage is Christ. He modeled so well the type of intangibles that I hope to one day bring to a union with my future husband. [Link]
Making Sense of Adolescence!
Scripture tells us that the man (or woman) whose home is filled with children is truly blessed. But recently I received the following email from a woman, grasping for help with her adolescent daughter… [Link]
Thriving Despite a Difficult Marriage
If your marriage is less than perfect and the "happily ever after" that was promised to you in childhood fairy tales is a distant dream, then consider this: faithfulness, not happiness, is God's desire for you. In your less that perfect marriage, you can still have meaning, purpose, endurance, and optimism. [Link]
The Duty of Political Speech
Everything seems to be flowing toward one end of the political spectrum, and those who raise a voice to offer a contrary opinion are ignored, scorned, or attacked. Elihu must have had a similar wariness about speaking up. [Link]
DAVE RAMSEY NAMED NETWORK/SYNDICATED PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Dave Ramsey of The Lampo Group was named Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year at the 2009 National Association of Broadcasters' Marconi Radio Awards. [Link]
Finding Extra Money In Our Budget
"We had no idea we made that much money until we wrote down a budget and saw the stupid things we were buying," Tara said. [Link]
Timeshares Make for Expensive Vacations
"Figuring about $12,000 total money spent on this rip-off, we spent $6,000 per vacation just to stay in a condo," Melissa said about the timeshare. [Link]
Bad attitude toward Dave
John tells Dave that it’s easy for Dave to talk about becoming rich when you have a great income like Dave does. He even calls Dave a name. Dave has a response for him. [Link]
Does God Expect Me to Stay Married to a Jerk?
Years ago, a family therapist was asked, “What are the top three causes of divorce?” to which he replied, “Selfishness, selfishness, selfishness!” Of course this is an oversimplification of the varied and many contributing factors to divorce but there is an element of truth in this statement that permeates each. [Link]
Doing Unto My Political Other: 7 Tips for the Public Square
Jesus called us to love our enemies in a nation ruled by cruel Caesars. Any religion that can love Tiberius can surely find room to love Obama or Gingrich. [Link]
Protecting Women Around the World
I just saw a photograph of a menu. The items listed are as follows: China girl, Hong Kong girl, Malay girl, Philippine girl, Russian girl… [Link]
An Open Letter to President Obama on Heath Care
I am a conservative. I do fear big government. And I do like my health care. But I’m willing to take your health plan more seriously if you can answer these questions the right way. [Link]
Updated "Fame" Probably Won't Live Forever in Viewers' Minds
Given our culture's continued obsession with seeing ordinary people "make it big" and “achieve their dreams of stardom," it was only a matter of time before the '80s flick Fame got a modern-day makeover. [Link]
Winning Hearts, Not Arguments in "Lord, Save Us from Your Followers"
The brainchild of author-filmmaker Dan Merchant, Lord, Save Us from Your Followers aims to spark conversation about ways to win hearts rather than merely arguments. As believers, we need to step back and listen to how we sound to the rest of the world. [Link]
Q&A with Skillet: Saving One Panhead at a Time
One of the most commercially successful and critically lauded bands in Christian music today, Skillet is famous for their tight connection with fans, affectionately calling their most loyal crew "Panheads." [Link]
It's all about your child's teachers
Eric Hanushek, an economist at Stanford, estimates that the students of a very bad teacher will learn, on average, half a year's worth of material in one school year. The students in the class of a very good teacher will learn a year and a half's worth of material. That difference amounts to a year's worth of learning in a single year. Teacher effects overcome school effects. Your child is actually better off in a "bad" school with an excellent teacher than in an excellent school with a bad teacher. Teacher effects are also much stronger than class-size effects. After years of worrying about issues like school funding levels, class size, and curriculum design, many reformers have come to the conclusions that nothing matters more than finding people with the potential to be great teachers.So, who teaches your children? Have you met the folks who shape your kids forty hours a week? If not, why not? Make sure to attend parent-teacher conferences, join your school's PTA and communicate directly to school staff. Don't leave all that to Mom alone. Remember, you are your children's most important teacher. If you really want to make your child's school outstanding, get more fathers involved in it through our All Pro Dad's Day program. And for moms, we have the iMOM Morning program.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What would you think about having a monthly dads and kids breakfast at your school? [Link]
The savings bonds or debt?
Robin shouldn't cash out her children's savings bonds to pay off debts; they need to ditch the cars. [Link]
Finding "Comfort" in the Crisis
Whether they be complicated or simple, with long-term effects or temporary, trials and frustrations can hinder our spiritual growth, causing bitterness, self-pity and emotional hang ups, or they can be catalysts for growth and maps to finding eternal treasure… [Link]
In the Beginning … God
The creation account is more than a myth. It is greater than a metanarrative. Those who believe do not possess an impoverished mind but a rich faith. The creation is the beginning of God’s greatest work in the universe, the redemption of mankind. [Link]
Looking Back: TIME Asks, “Is God Dead?”
The 1966 TIME cover story became an icon of the rebellious and increasingly secular sixties. The question, in bold letters, was simply, "Is God Dead?" [Link]
The Christian's Guide to Everyday Justice
As a practical outworking of loving God and others, true justice is restorative. So how do Christians practically imitate God's passion for justice and righteousness? [Link]
Showing Love to Widows
Need some fresh ideas for demonstrating pure religion by ministering to widows in your church? [Link]
Stop That Divorce!
Just yesterday I received the following email from a man whose wife had left, saying she needed time to sort out her feelings about him and their marriage… [Link]
What a Man Brings to Marriage
We often focus on what we will get out of a marriage relationship. Perhaps it’s time to start focusing on what we men can bring, so that we will have something to offer at the table (a man’s dowry, if you will) before making a life-long commitment. [Link]
An easier way to discipline
Joe, a Play of the Day subscriber, wrote us saying "Years ago my sister (a department head at Harvard University) shared with me one of the most valuable tools I have for disciplining my 8-year-old daughter. Whatever the discipline is (no TV, no bike, etc.), I never say how long it will be for. I just tell her when I feel she deserves it, the discipline will be over. So I don't say 'no bike' for a month, and after a week feel bad and give it back. I just say, 'No bike. You'll get it back when I think you deserve it.' This works great for me and I also have no guilt to deal with when I calm down." Learn how to discipline with honor. And hear Coach Tony Dungy's thoughts on discipline.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you think there's a better way we can discipline our kids? [Link]
North Koreans Get Repatriatism instead of Refuge in China
"I felt like I had become an alien, not a human being…I was just like a beast. I was treated just like an animal, just like a slave," one North Korean prisoner said. [Link]
You are the Bishop of Your Own Heart!
Rick Renner takes a closer look at the phrase "looking diligently" in Hebrews 12:15, one of the New Testament's most powerful verses for what it has to say about our responsibility as overseers of our own spiritual walk. [Link]
Highway to Heaven
Think of the 66 books of the Bible as service stations along the route Christ paved toward Heaven for you and me. [Link]
Are You Reactive or Proactive?
Do you tend to be reactive or proactive? In today's job market, you need to be prepared for inevitable changes in your work life… [Link]
Beggar Banks and Telephone Ladies
Scripture tells us to help the poor, and protect them from those who would exploit them—such as unethical moneylenders. Here's how it works. [Link]
Got enough?
When it comes to the later Baby Steps, Lamar isn't sure how to split things up. [Link]
How to crush your daughter
A young woman, Sarah, wrote us the following e-mail: "My dad is the most important person in the world to me, even though he doesn't have much time to spend with me. That affected me negatively in the teen years. If you want me to cry at the drop of the hat, just get me to thinking about him someday dying, and leaving me without him. I can be doing anything and when that thought floats by, I'm reduced to sobbing. I wish my dad knew how much he could heal in my family if he would just make us feel more important than work."Why are workaholics more likely to fail at both their job and their family? Find out here.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: If I worked one hour less each week, what would you like to do? [Link]
Art and Mission Collide in ChristianCinema.com Co-Founder's Work
"My goal is to make films that inspire and move the spirit," says filmmaker and ChristianCinema.com founder Kevin Downes. Two of his films, Six: The Mark Unleashed and Mercy Streets, have just released on DVD. [Link]
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past Lifts the Spirit a Bit
The jokes and discussion about the main character’s sexual escapades push Ghosts of Girlfriends Past well into “PG-13” territory. But the central character’s transformation, while predictable, gives the film a bit more depth—just a bit—than might be expected. [Link]
Observe and Report Disturbs and Offends
Observe and Report shares the boundary-breaking mentality of other R-rated comedies as of late: casual drug use and casual sex are par for the course, but its moments of outrageous humor ultimately take a back seat to the story’s darker underbelly. [Link]
The tough Christian
When a scam comes into the picture, it's time for Derrick to get tough as a Christian. [Link]
Forgotten Families? A Visit to Death Row
Guilty or not, repentant or not, most prisoners have families somewhere… [Link]
Will Babies with Down Syndrome Just Disappear?
Over the past several years, a marked decrease in the number of babies born with Down syndrome has been both observed and widely reported. This decrease can be traced directly to the decision to abort after prenatal diagnosis. [Link]
Not in the National Interest: Government-Run Health Care
Who do you want answering this question: Should we save a baby born at 21 weeks and 5 days? [Link]
ACORN: A Nut the Media Won’t Crack
It's time to ask why ACORN still has a shot at receiving government money from other agencies, and why the Justice Department has not filed charges. [Link]
3-D Gives Battle for Terra Its Fighting Spirit
While low-budget, Battle for Terra is still an engaging tale that provides an intriguing change of pace for sci-fi fans. And in 3-D, Terra positively sparkles, thanks to eye-popping visuals and imaginative set-ups. [Link]
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past Lifts the Spirit a Bit
The jokes and discussion about the main character’s sexual escapades push Ghosts of Girlfriends Past well into “PG-13” territory. But the central character’s transformation, while predictable, gives the film a bit more depth—just a bit—than might be expected. [Link]
Observe and Report Disturbs and Offends
Observe and Report shares the boundary-breaking mentality of other R-rated comedies as of late: casual drug use and casual sex are par for the course, but its moments of outrageous humor ultimately take a back seat to the story’s darker underbelly. [Link]
Boring is good
Famed physicist Freeman Dyson argues for the virtue of boredom for kids by saying, "Being bored is the only time you are creative." Interesting. In our fast-paced, texting, Xbox nation, kids today have little free time to do nothing. But it's in that "nothing" time that great thinking is done. Be sure to set limits on TV and video game time, phone conversations and even homework. It's okay for your kids to occasionally not have a lot to do. And it will be remarkable to see what they come up with.Now that you turned off the TV, turn on family dinnertime. Here's how you can bring family dinners back to your home.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do you think it is important to sometimes have quiet, alone time with no distractions? Why or why not? [Link]
Dave Says – September 21, 2009
My husband died four weeks ago. He was 52 years old and had a heart attack … [Link]
A Plea to the President to Attend Church
Dear Mr. President, remember all the analysis immediately after your election this past November regarding where you and your family would attend church? [Link]
Is prepaid legal needed?
Anika wants to know about prepaid legal services. Does Dave recommend them? Dave says why he doesn't. [Link]
Seize the day
Are you making the most of your life? Let Robin Williams in this memorable scene from the movie Dead Poet's Society remind you of the brevity of your days and the importance of living them well.Huddle up with your older kids tonight and ask them: What do you think it means to 'seize the day?' [Link]
What Would Jesus Tweet?
Can anything of real and lasting value come from technology that limits information to a mere 140 characters? [Link]
A Plea to the President to Attend Church
Dear Mr. President, remember all the analysis immediately after your election this past November regarding where you and your family would attend church? [Link]
Keeping the Lights on Monday through Saturday
The scenario is common and vexing: a church building erected generations ago sits idle six days a week yet consumes 50 percent of the church budget. What to do? [Link]
The Problematic Predicament of Paying the Pastor
It's something of a dilemma: On the one hand, a minister must never put a price on the work he does as he looks to the Lord as the Source for his needs. On the other, he should absolutely be adequately compensated for his work. [Link]
Creating a Culture of Marriage
There is much consternation over the state of marriage today. The institution itself has suffered serious social diminution—so much so that same-sex marriage appears inevitable. But the blame for this lies less with the culture at large than with the church in America. How so, you ask? [Link]
Finding God in the Everyday Tasks of Homemaking
I was recently challenged by a reader’s comment: Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the many tasks of homemaking … What can we do to kick start ourselves into being excited over our callings as homemakers? [Link]
Pornography's Devastating Effects on Marriage
As a proponent of fulfilling sex in Christian marriages, I shout from the rooftops that porn is not the answer to achieving sexual fulfillment… [Link]
We're No Longer Comfortable With Debt!
"Today, we paid off the remaining balance on our student loans and are debt-free. In less than two years, we paid off $37,565 in debt!" Tracy said. [Link]
Caught Up in a Payday Loan Scam
"My husband and I got into a financial "bind," and I had the bright idea to go to one of those payday loan places to tide us over," Mary said. [Link]
When to raise prices
Lauren's husband owns a painting business, and they want to know when the best time is to implement a price increase. [Link]
Never Stop Praying for the Persecuted Church
In my journeys to meet with faithful believers around the world, the number one request I hear is this: “Please pray for me.” Let's do so this year. [Link]
Donald Miller: Writing His Own Life Story
It was while crafting the narrative for a film based on his life that author Donald Miller was told his story was "too boring." His latest book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, chronicles not only this filmmaking process but also his own real-life transformation. [Link]
Christians as Real People
People are broken; we need Christ and his truth. But if Christians refuse to be genuine with those who are thirsty, the Living Water is quenched and they will look elsewhere for help. [Link]
Overcoming "True for You but Not for Me" Objections
You've heard them – the statements people commonly make when objecting to Christianity. Here's how you can respond when you hear, "That may be True for You but Not for Me." [Link]
Wish Fulfillment Gets a Foodie Twist in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
A multi-layered story was developed to help bring the concept in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs to life. And much like something the Pixar folks dream up, there’s plenty of thoughtful takeaway in this talk of wish fulfillment gone seriously awry. [Link]
Damon Weighs in with Great Performance in "The Informant!"
As whistle-blower Mark Whitacre in The Informant!, Matt Damon is 30 pounds heavier than he was as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity, so it's appropriate that The Informant! is a weightier film. But it ain't heavy. [Link]
"Love Happens" Routinely Overstates the Obvious
In the same way a book shouldn’t be judged by its cover, a movie probably shouldn’t be judged solely by its title. But in the case of Love Happens (starring Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart), trust me, your gut is probably right. [Link]
Have an inspirational story to tell us?
Have you faced some incredible obstacles on your way to becoming a better father? Maybe you didn't think you'd make it financially. Or maybe your marriage was on the rocks. Or perhaps you found out your teen was drinking or doing drugs. Whatever the case, your hardships, and how you overcame them, can be tremendously inspirational to all of us. We invite you to share your story. Here's an inspirational story from Coach Tony Dungy. Take a look, and then add yours to the list.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Have you noticed any changes in me since I began receiving the All Pro Dad Play of the Day? [Link]
Young, jobless, scared
Seth is scared, lost his job and doesn't know how he's going to support his family. [Link]
Create a New Marriage … with Your Same Spouse
You and your spouse annoy each other more than enjoy each other. You don't want to continue living like this, but you don't want the trauma of divorce, either. What to do? [Link]
A Tale of Two Atheists
The Wall Street Journal's debate was not, as advertised, a debate between an atheist and a believer. Instead, it was a debate between two different species of atheists. [Link]
Defending the Innocent: Weapons and Worship
Church is not generally the right place to celebrate our civil rights, though we may thank God for them, but it might be the right place to urge citizens to exercise them to protect the innocent. [Link]
Manufactured March Madness on the Mall
Saturday's massive TEA party rally at the Capitol was remarkably peaceful and upbeat as marchers passed by the Annual Black Family Reunion Tent. Unless you read the Washington Post. [Link]
Derek Webb: To Kill a Mockingbird
In part one of a two-part CCM exclusive, Derek Webb talks about Stockholm Syndrome's musical shift and why he'd prefer to be on a label in spite of the ruckus, because after all, business is just business. [Link]
Dark Vibe Pervades Aaron Shust's Take Over
Aaron Shust produces the same commercial mega-draw as Chris Tomlin, but with a darker vibe. And it carries throughout Take Over, where it feels like life is lived a bit deeper than in most other modern worship offerings. [Link]
Skillet's Hard-Hitting Messages Stay Awake
Rather than shying away from the taboo topics facing kids today, Skillet always goes in for the kill, screaming hope and hitting hard on the heart of the matter. And the band’s latest project, Awake, is no exception. [Link]
Cashing in on drugs
Here's a very visual illustration about the depth of the illegal drug problem. The Institute of Biomedical Research found that 9 out of 10 Euro banknotes in Germany had minute amounts of cocaine on them left by abusers who used the Euros to snort the drug. Similar results have been found with American dollars in some urban areas. Illegal drugs and their effects surround our kids today. It's in our music, our schools and even on our money. Talk to your kids soon about the dangers of using illegal drugs. To recognize the warning signs or drug use in your kids, take a look at this. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do you know anyone who has used drugs? Why do you think they did it? [Link]
The money or a friend
Dave has an alternative plan for Randy, who is trying to figure out whether or not he should give a personal loan to a friend. [Link]
Guiding the Attitude of Your Day
Be very careful how you start your morning. You are planting the seeds for what the day will hold. [Link]
Learning Evangelism From Jesus
Studying Jesus’ conversations with a diversity of people during his life, this director of the Francis Schaeffer Institute draws lessons and principles for modern evangelistic practice from the four Gospels, offering believers timeless wisdom in their approach to unbelievers. [Link]
Defending the Innocent: Weapons and Worship
Church is not generally the right place to celebrate our civil rights, though we may thank God for them, but it might be the right place to urge citizens to exercise them to protect the innocent. [Link]
Being Best Friends with Your Mate
Many people make the fatal mistake of putting friendship with their mate on the backburner. Let's hear from a reader who found a solution to this problem… [Link]
Why Living Together Before Marriage Doesn't Work
Why is the divorce rate so much higher for couples who marry after cohabiting? Two theories have credence… [Link]
Finding God in the Everyday Tasks of Homemaking
I was recently challenged by a reader’s comment: Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the many tasks of homemaking … What can we do to kick start ourselves into being excited over our callings as homemakers? [Link]
Feeling discouraged today?
Watch this brief clip from the movie Hoosiers and remember what is possible in the face of incredible odds. And be sure to rent this classic film and watch it with your older children this weekend. It's a great teaching tool about overcoming adversity.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Will you watch a basketball movie with me this weekend? [Link]
We'll Never Eat Speghetti Again!
"We ate a lot of pancakes and spaghetti! Not only did we not go into more debt during grad school, we started making headway on our college debt," Nicholas said. [Link]
The Family Rift
Jane and her husband loaned their son money, but nothing good has come of it. They're just left with a big family rift! [Link]
Dave Says – September 14, 2009
I have tenants who have been perfect in paying rent on time for almost a year. Last month, the woman lost her job … [Link]
A love drawer
Dave gives the list of what he puts in his "I love you" drawer, which is the records his loved one will need in the event of his death. [Link]
Christian Cosmetology
Ministry leaders sometimes share characteristics with make-up artists. As such, we need to remember that accentuating the beauty is much better than just hiding the ugly. [Link]
Women: Be the Kind of Friend You Want to Have
Friendship is a gift all women need, during every stage of their lives. You can enjoy strong friendships if you're intentional about being the kind of friend you want others to be for you… [Link]
A Word of Encouragement for a Season of Doubt
Being a Christian doesn't mean you won't have doubts. John the Baptist went straight to the Lord with his doubts… and so must we! [Link]
What Are We Singing: Before the Throne of God Above
Knowing I was having a rough time of it, a friend sent me the YouTube link to Selah's version of Before the Throne of God Above. I have since played this video time and again and am always awed by the beauty of the music and the truth of the lyrics. [Link]
Picking Up Pennies: Leave a Legacy of Financial Stewardship
One of the most important gifts we parents can give our kids is a legacy of good stewardship. No matter how dismissive your little bambinos are, don’t give up on the mission. [Link]
Effective Workplace Evangelism
I've often been known as the “religious guy” at work. It wasn’t because I was particularly vocal or I tried to separate myself; it happened naturally… [Link]
Your Most Important Investing Decision
What determines the performance of your investment portfolio more than any other single factor? [Link]
Lost a leg, gained a wife
John DeButts was the CEO of AT&T just prior to its breakup in the 1980s. At the zenith of his power, he had more than 1,000,000 employees around the world. DeButts retired very wealthy. Not long after that, he needed to have a leg amputated.He later said, "In spite of all that money, power, prestige and influence, do you know that as I lay there in my hospital bed, not one person came to see me, called me on the phone, or dropped me a card? But there at my bedside, tending to my needs day-by-day, was the woman I had ignored for 30 years."If you haven't let your wife know lately how much you love and appreciate her, send her an e-mail or text right now. Better yet, stop by a flower shop on the way home tonight.What is your definition of marital love? What is your wife's? Find out by taking this marriage survey.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: What is one thing I could do to make you feel more loved? [Link]
Teaching how to spend
Mike is worried about the behavior his kids are showing when it comes to their spending money. [Link]
Dugard Kidnapping Unveils the 'Spirit of Bondage'
Why didn't she escape? Why don't we? [Link]
Sex Trafficking: It's Happening in Our Backyard
We've heard and been repulsed by stories like Jaycee Dugard's before. We comfort ourselves that such abductions are rare. But is that truly the case? [Link]
The Heavens (and the Hubble) Are Telling the Glory of God
To read of the vast distances and dimensions seen and measured by Hubble's technology is to be reminded just how small our planet really is — and how even smaller we humans are. [Link]
The Most Important Thing to Teach Your Public-School Child
Preparation for a new school year is a major job for every parent. Notebooks. Pens. Calculators. If you send your child to a public school, you need to arm her with something more, however… [Link]
Why Survive the Teen Years (When You Can Enjoy Them)?
I have heard so many people talking about "surviving the teen years" that it doesn't surprise me anymore when I hear that phrase. [Link]
Create a New Marriage … with Your Same Spouse
You and your spouse annoy each other more than enjoy each other. You don't want to continue living like this, but you don't want the trauma of divorce, either. What to do? [Link]
Kids need outdoor time
Have your children lost touch with nature? When is the last time they rolled in a pile of leaves, climbed a tree, rode their bikes, chased a butterfly through the park or went wading in a creek? Kids need outdoor time. It's good for them, and, according to many experts, the lack of it can take a toll on their physical, emotional and psychological well-being.So make it a point to allow your children plenty of time to play outside. And get out there with them! Take a hike, paddle a canoe, explore a nature trail, hunt for bugs or go fishing. Connecting with nature is good for their bodies – and their souls!Have you ever hiked with your kids? Here are some ideas to get you started on the right path.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: When and where would you like to go hiking? [Link]
Potluck Dinner Parties Provide Economic Elegance
Combining the benefits of the potluck with the dignity of a dinner party could become the frugal wave of the future, and it is only right that we create a few guidelines. [Link]
Knowing when to leave
Wayne is 25 and wondering if remaining in the military for another 13 years is a good idea because of the retirement benefits. [Link]
Learning to Value Each Day: Remembering and Reflecting 9-11
There are defining moments that shake, make or break the human character and spirit. It’s during those times we must decide whether to be strong or weak, to be a help or a hindrance, to be a victim or a survivor. [Link]
Paving the Way: Becoming Cultural Missionaries
To reach people with the Gospel, we have to be able to speak their language: be it Swahili, Chinese… or the language of postmodern secularism. [Link]
Heralds of the King
The late Dr. Clowney was a trailblazer of Christ-centered, redemptive historical preaching. Following his model, in Heralds of the King pastors with different gifts, backgrounds and ministries show how they proclaim Christ from all of Scripture. [Link]
Preaching: Demanding Work but Such a Calling
Great preaching, it would appear, has little to do with the size of our talent and everything to do with the size of our God. [Link]
Apparently "9" is the Bleakest Number
Considering that an animated account of "the end of the world as we know it" was already done so well and winningly in last year's Wall·E (Pixar), 9 just doesn’t add anything new to the perilous conversation. [Link]
Hope Is Found in Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself
With I Can Do Bad All By Myself, director Tyler Perry hopes that audiences will leave with a message of hope in the story of a nightclub singer named April, a couple of young delinquents, a handsome Mexican immigrant and of course, the reoccurring character Madea. [Link]
Britt Nicole: Standing Out
Britt Nicole's sophomore release comes forth with a clear message of evangelism. It's a sign she's growing in her own spiritual walk and her artistry with the title track, "The Lost Get Found," displaying serving as the best evidence. [Link]
Are ADHD drugs safe for your children?
According to William A. Carlezon Jr., PhD, director of the behavioral genetics laboratory at McLean Hospital and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, Ritalin use in preteen children may lead to depression later in life because of altered brain chemistry. It's generally agreed among the medical community that Ritalin and similar drugs are over-prescribed to kids as the first solution to behavioral problems. If your children are on these kinds of medications, consider ways you might be able to wean them off with parental love, professional counseling, proper diet and exercise. There are legitimate uses for medication for ADHD, but they should only be used as a very last resort.Read more about the brain-altering characteristics of Ritalin and other ADHD medication.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Is there anything we can do naturally to help our child be better behaved? [Link]
The double deduction
Dusty is about to get a double surprise, and wants to know what could happen to his taxes because of it. [Link]
Sugar-Laced Poison: The Realities of Sexual Sin
One of Satan’s lies regarding sexual purity is, “No one else has enough self-control to resist, why do you think you can?” Yet many people do resist every day—our society just doesn’t celebrate their dependence upon God… [Link]
The Men in Christ's Life: The Calling of Matthew
Jesus always called His disciples one by one. Matthew was a tax collector—not anyone’s favorite type of person by a long shot. Who wanted to be friends with someone who could financially ruin you? No one wanted to be around or befriend people like this—except Jesus. [Link]
A Screaming Place
I wish places of worship would provide a screaming room. But since it's hard to find such a place among spiritually minded people, I found my private screaming place… [Link]
How to Ignite a Fire in Your Soul
Has your faith dwindled down to the embers of complacency or apathy when you encounter lost people? If so, it's time to ignite a fresh fire in your soul. Here's how. [Link]
Hired@Home: Author Helps Moms Explore At-Home Career Options
As a work-at-home mom herself, Sarah Hamaker knows the ropes of being both a professional and a mom — and she’s ready to share her experience, tips and advice for making working at home work for moms from all backgrounds and in all stages of life. [Link]
Daughters under Siege
Some sex education programs teach young women that the way to get ahead in the world is not through their grace, or goodness, or intelligence – but through their sexual power. [Link]
The Value of Teaching Children about Money
Even more important than understanding the basics of making and spending money, children need to learn what the Bible says about money and how it affects our spiritual lives… [Link]
Be "all there" for your grandkids
Treasuring time with your future grandchildren is something you'll definitely want to take part in. But many older men cannot because their minds are deteriorating. There isn't a 100% guarantee against getting Alzheimer's disease, but losing excess weight might help. According to Newsweek, a major study found that for each one-point increase in body-mass index, the risk of dementia increased by 36 percent. Proper diet and exercise are essential to your health and the health of your family. Take the proper steps now, so you'll be around to enjoy your future grandkids' baby steps.Read on for more resources on preventing and treating Alzheimer's.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask them: How many kids do you want to have when you grow up? How many boys and how many girls? [Link]
"THE DAVE RAMSEY SHOW" COMES TO LOS ANGELES
"The Dave Ramsey Show" has joined the line-up on KFWB 980 AM Monday through Friday from 9p.m. to midnight PDT. [Link]
The deadbeat
Time for Matt's sister-in-law to get tough with her ex-husband and make him accountable. [Link]
Why Memorize Scripture?
John Piper offers six great reasons why every Christian – especially those in vocational ministry – should commit the Word of God to memory. [Link]
Towered by Faith: A 9/11 Retrospective
Sometimes, I find it easy to forget the smaller moments of our time—my husband's and mine—in New York City during the 9/11 attacks… [Link]
A Letter from a Senior Devil on Texas
The importance to the topic of the Texas Board of Education decision is obvious, as evidenced by this letter I accidentally discovered… with apologies to C.S. Lewis and his brilliant Screwtape Letters. [Link]
Religious Liberty in an Age of Toleration
Religious toleration isn't the same as religious liberty. Rather, it's the Chinese practice of registering, approving, tolerating, and controlling something perceived as dangerous. [Link]
An Active and Purposeful Waiting
I would like nothing better than to see their expectation of Jesus' imminent return come to pass! World events certainly suggest that possibility. But until the Lord does return, we are not faced with an either/or choice… [Link]
How to Find Financial Freedom
With God as your pilot, you can take control of your financial destination… [Link]
The 8 Laws of Leadership
Dr. William Cohen in his book, The Stuff of Heroes, writes that the eight universal laws of leadership are:1. Maintain absolute integrity. 2. Know your stuff. 3. Declare your expectations. 4. Show uncommon commitment. 5. Expect positive results. 6. Take care of your people. 7. Put duty before self. 8. Get out in front.Sounds like a great strategy for fatherhood, too. Who have been the two most influential leaders in Coach Tony Dungy's life? Watch this.Do you know the 10 Ways to be an All Pro Dad? Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Based on the 8 laws of leadership, which one would you say I'm best at? Why? Which am I not so great at? Why? [Link]
Busy for God
Our motivation for work must be gratitude and praise for God’s mercy. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (v. 10). [Link]
Dave Says – September 7, 2009
I've heard you say that your mortgage payment shouldn't be more than 25 percent of your take-home pay … [Link]
Obama’s School Talk: Should Christians Really be Concerned?
Scores of Christians and conservatives are denouncing President Obama’s announced speech to children in schools across the country tomorrow. Notables like Michelle Malkin are concerned with subversive activism. Republicans are accusing the President of imposing a political agenda on the nation’s children. Other conservatives see the move as socialist indoctrination. Of course, references to certain dictators’ propagandizing of children abound. [Link]
Big 5 percent deal!
Charles thinks he's getting ahead from the 5% he gets back on his credit cards, but Dave's never met a millionaire who made their wealth on that 5% back. [Link]
Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ
In John Piper's latest, you'll discover the gripping stories of William Tyndale, who died because he translated God's Word into English; Adoniram Judson, whose mission to Burma paved the way for worldwide missionary mobilization; and John Paton, who led the hostile to Christ in the New Hebrides. [Link]
Pastor's Wives: Finding Your Place
Just what are the prerequisites for being a minister's wife? [Link]
Cosmic Aspirations, Earthly Hubris
The multi-billion-dollar super collider project in Switzerland, billed as the most exciting advance in science in centuries, has fallen flat. [Link]
Why women talk so much
Want to know why your wife talks so much? Here's a humorous but poignant illustration. A husband, looking through the newspaper, came upon a study that said women use more words than men. Excited to prove to his wife his long-held contention that women in general, and his wife in particular, talked too much, he showed her the study results. The report stated: "Men use about 15,000 words per day, but women use 30,000."His wife thought awhile, then finally she said to her husband, "It's because we have to repeat everything we say."The husband said, "What?"Here's a great way to communicate with your wife without speaking words.Huddle up tonight and ask your wife: How can I be a better listener? [Link]
Why Moralism Is Not the Gospel — And Why So Many Christians Think It Is
The basic structure of moralism comes down to this — the belief that the Gospel can be reduced to improvements in behavior. [Link]
Make Sure Your Marriage Has a Disaster Recovery Plan
What can we do to protect our most precious investments — our marriages and our families — during economic trials? We must develop a "Disaster Recovery Plan…" [Link]
Freedom's Role in Developing Teen Discernment
Teens crave freedom and they want to show the adults in their life that they are fully prepared to make their own decisions… [Link]
Taking On the Mind of Your Spouse
Victory over your spouse is hollow, while taking on the mind of your mate leads to cooperation and communion with each other… [Link]
Living for the long-term
According to author Dr. James Boyce, we overestimate what we can accomplish in five years and underestimate what we can accomplish in twenty. We do this in our career, and often job-hop rather than stay in one place and get promoted. We can also do this in our parenting. We may get discouraged by the seeming lack of short-term progress in our children, but if we saw the long-term consequences of our involvement, we would realize it was worth every second. So, as you think about what you want to accomplish in life, think in terms of decades, not years. Live your life for the long-term. Someday, you'll look back on the years you spent together and be glad for the time you invested. Watch this memorable video clip.Huddle up tonight and ask your wife: What do you think our relationship will be like in 20 years? [Link]
Labor Day: The Ethics of Work
God takes labor seriously. Do you? Here are some work concepts from God. [Link]
More Than Grillin' and Chillin' on Labor Day
Before you settle back in the lawn chair this Labor Day, why not first go for a walk, a ride or make a life-changing difference? OSU Tour will make it easy for you at their Walk-a-Thon/Bike-a-Thon at NASCAR's Texas Motor Speedway. [Link]
"All About Steve" Can Be Summed Up in Three Letters: B-A-D
If you can overlook the lowbrow attempts for a laugh, there’s a very good message hidden deep, deep down in the very bad comedy of All About Steve. Unfortunately, 98 minutes is far too long to waste trying to find it. [Link]
Got one, borrow another?
Ken and his wife have more than one loan. Which should they take out first? [Link]
Hurtful Words, Healing Words
Have you ever considered the fact that every word you say—every word—has the power to either hurt or heal? [Link]
The Spirituality of Work
Because God has ordained it, all work has a spiritual dimension. The Bible repeatedly commends useful, honest labor, which shows God's intense interest in it. [Link]
25 Affirmations about Forgiveness
A friend who has gone through a hard time sent me a list of things he has learned about forgiveness. Based mostly on his list, here are twenty-five affirmations about forgiveness. [Link]
Bigger than Giants, Scarier than Fear
Find out why God wants you to be afraid. [Link]
Workplace Comedy "Extract" Labors for Laughs
Extract is better than some of the coarse R-rated comedies this year, but it's also surprisingly insubstantial given its moral content. The film does offer a few mild laughs, but the potentially offensive material is abundant throughout. [Link]
Green
Green is a story of love, betrayal, and sweeping reversals set within the apocalypse. It is the beginning: the truth behind a saga that has captured the imagination of more than a million readers with the Books of History Chronicles. Read an excerpt from Ted Dekker's latest. [Link]
More Memorable Sing-Alongs in Daughtry's Town
Besides a few acoustic numbers, there are enough songs on Leave This Town to keep things interesting for the thousands destined to see Daughtry in the next couple of years in amphitheatres and stadiums nationwide. [Link]
Teaching your children time management
Some children have trouble successfully managing their time. You may have to constantly tell them to do chores, or finish up their homework, and this can be a source of aggravation for both you and your kids. So we suggest getting a large plastic calendar with erasable markers. Hang this in a prominent place at home. Have your kids write all they need to do monthly, weekly and daily. Then your children will know, at a glance, all that is expected of them. Teaching your kids to budget their time wisely and to fulfill their obligations is preparing them for future success. Read the 5 basics of time management to share with your kids.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: How can we better motivate the kids to do their homework and chores this year? [Link]
Fighting To Stay Out of Debt
"We now have over $80,000 in the bank and are going on a nice vacation soon. We are going to fight to stay out of debt from now on," Michael said. [Link]
Excited About Where I Am Going
Jimmie is 52 years old, just paid off $22,000, and is excited about the hopeful future that being out of debt offers him. This can be you, too! [Link]
There is Money in Mowing
After almost $4,000 invested in lawn-mowing stuff, Julia's husband decided that he was too busy to mow the grass! Read her story now. [Link]
The $28 Burrito
"I couldn't deposit it fast enough to prevent the bank from slapping a $25 NSF charge, aka stupid tax, on my $3 burrito," Jeff said. [Link]
The bank deal
After a foreclosure and an auction, Susan is thinking of beating up the bank on the price of a house that she wants. [Link]
Don't Lose Heart
Oftentimes, we aren’t able to comprehend how the Lord is working and why. However, just because God does not work according to how we think doesn’t mean He does not hear our prayers nor care about our situations. [Link]
Watch Your Example
When Jesus said that you are the salt of the earth, He acknowledged that decay is inevitable in a fallen world. [Link]
Portrait of a Minister (1 Timothy 4:6-16)
It is important to get the right portrait of the right person. [Link]
The War on Private Charity
Americans need to stand by the faith-based charities whose own government is creating competition for volunteers. [Link]
Is the Legal Profession Hurting Marriages? A Lawyer's Perspective
Your marriage is in trouble. Should you call a lawyer? Or, you're getting married. Should you draft a prenuptial agreement? Lawyer Stephen Bloom examines these issues and more in his book The Believer's Guide to Legal Issues. Read the Crosswalk interview… [Link]
Help Your Son Develop Healthy Emotions
I'm the kind of girl who can name what I'm feeling, even if it's seventeen feelings all at once. And as a mom, I believe it's my responsibility to send my kids out into the world knowing what they feel about something and how to express it in a healthy way. [Link]
Biblical Encouragement for Couples Waiting to Conceive
Recently, God showed me quite a few scriptures that pertain to my husband's and my current situation of trying to conceive a child… [Link]
Four essential truths kids need to know
Author Richard Rohr identifies four essential truths that dads need to teach their kids before they leave home. They are: life is hard, you are going to die, you are not ultimately in control and your life is not about you. Not exactly a course in self-esteem, but perhaps more valuable for your children to lead a better life. Think about what Rohr said, and if you agree, be sure to talk these over with your adolescent in your own way and timing.Here's a game plan on helping your children navigate life after high school.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What do you think your life will be like when you're my age? [Link]
Am I liable for the car balance?
Sabrina's future son-in-law had his car repossessed and will be responsible for the deficit balance after selling it. [Link]
Top 10 Articles of August 2009
What are the signs of an abusive relationship? Why should Christians be careful about labeling the Antichrist? Is it biblical to be funny? Find out in the top 10 articles of August. [Link]
Reflections on the Kennedy Funeral
The homily's words about the kingdom, frozen as they were in the partisan debates of our little blip of history, didn’t communicate the transcendence offered by the Basilica itself. [Link]
The NIV Announcement — A Statement
When released, the updated NIV will deserve and require the attentive study and review of all committed evangelicals. We must hope and pray that this updated NIV will be found both faithful and useful. [Link]
Perinatal Hospice: From Womb to Grave with Love
The hospice movement is a wonderful expression of the culture of life. In a very encouraging development, the movement is growing up in an unexpected way. [Link]
Hillsong Builds Up the Church with Tear Down the Walls
Tear Down the Walls definitely further defines the band’s aptitude for creating relevant worship music for the church. And considering that is their explicit aim, I’m not sure what more we can ask from this fine Aussie collective. [Link]
Q&A with Project 86
No matter what the audience, Project 86’s innovative sound and spiritually-centered mindset remains the same, which as front man Andrew Schwab explains, is amongst the most urgent and relevant to date. [Link]
State of Play Sags from Sluggish Pacing, Unconvincing Plot
Like last year’s Body of Lies, State of Play tries to seriously challenge American policy in an entertaining fashion, but unlike Lies, Play never grips the viewer. Its pacing is too often sluggish; its plot unconvincing. [Link]
How's this for marital honesty?
You and your wife should make up your own lists of three things you wish the other would or wouldn't do. For you, you may wish that your wife wouldn't leave her shoes lying all over the bedroom floor, or wouldn't drive her car with little or no air in the tires. She may write down how she gets annoyed when you don't wash your whiskers down the sink or, of course, how you leave the seat up. Whatever the annoying habits might be, write them down on a sheet of paper; then exchange lists with each other. This is a great way to settle nagging issues and open up some good dialogue. But remember… be sensitive and reasonable when you put together your list. This can easily backfire if you're not careful.To learn how not to address annoying habits, watch this.Huddle up tonight and ask your wife: Do you think doing this list of three annoying habits is a good idea? [Link]
Dave Says – August 31, 2009
I graduated from college in May, and I already have a job in my field … [Link]
Married with budget problems
Carrie and her husband both work extra jobs but don't pool their extra income together…time for a change? [Link]
Adopted For Life
Adopted for Life is a manifesto calling Christians to adopt children and to equip Christian families going through the process. Offers biblical foundations for adoption and identifies adoption as a Great Commission priority. [Link]
A Perfect Mess
In this look at how God adores and transforms us, author Lisa Harper weaves poignant stories of her own personal foibles with a fresh take on selected Psalms to reveal a loving Father who remains our greatest champion even when we don’t feel anywhere close to holy. [Link]
Fall in Love with the God Jesus Knows
If you think about the Father the way Jesus does, you'll get an accurate perspective that will lead you to fall in love with The Good and Beautiful God. [Link]
12 Resources for Developing Your Online Network
Today, Job seekers and career changers need to become familiar with and take advantage of online social media… [Link]
What really lasts
What makes a happy family? When 1,500 school children were asked that question, most of them answered "doing things together." Psychologist Dr. Gary Oliver shares a touching story about a family that put off home repairs – for ten years – so they could use the money on family trips. In the end, the memories made on those trips proved priceless. To see why Dr. Oliver says it's not only what we do for our children that matters, it's what we do with them, read this insightful article. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Where would you like to go on vacation next summer? [Link]
Leaving Traditional College Behind?
Two graduates of accelerated distance learning share what students need to get out of the college box – and what every employer is looking for. [Link]
The Health Insurance Trap
One study indicates that less than half of all health policy holders believe they understand their policies. Here are some practical things you can do to get through some of the haze and confusion… [Link]
Take the better plan
With the deals that Amy's family might get on her husband's health insurance plans, Dave thinks she should jump at them. [Link]
Your best career move – humility
There's no doubt doing your job and doing it well has a significant, positive impact on your family. So what is essential in climbing that corporate ladder? Management guru Jim Collins studied 11 of the most successful American companies over the past 15 years. These businesses averaged more than seven times the stock returns of the general market. The most significant attribute about these businesses that Collins found is that every one of them had a modest CEO. Collins shares that the starting point of a great company is a humble leader: "When these successful CEOs do something right, they walk you over to a window and point to all the reasons (and especially all the other people) 'out there' contributing to their success. When they do something wrong, they walk to a mirror and assume the blame themselves." Want to go far in your career? Walk humbly. Hear what Coach Dungy has to say about leading with humility. Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you think I'm a humble person? Why or why not? [Link]
Cease Striving and Know That He Is God
If you didn't receive from God what you had asked for, what you had longed for, or what was your "human right," would you have acted like Zacharias – without bitterness or anger? [Link]
Lockerbie Lessons: Misplaced Compassion
Should dying prisoners be released early on grounds of compassion? In some cases, absolutely. In the case of the Lockerbie bomber, that is a wholly different matter. [Link]
Fleeing Sharia Law in America?
Rifqa Bary's situation must be weighed carefully in light of what has happened to other young women. [Link]
Something's Got to Give for Seniors
This has been the "Summer of the Senior" in America, as the debate over health care reform and Medicare cuts continues. [Link]
Stop an Affair Before it Starts
Most of us say, “It will never happen to me,” or “My marriage isn’t at risk.” But the fact is, we all need to know how to protect our marriages from infidelity… [Link]
Back-to-School: Teens Need Their Sleep
Parents shouldn’t wait until the new school year starts to begin helping their teens make the transition back to SST (Standard School Time)… [Link]
He Said-She Said: Ready to Date? Or Not
A reader thought she had a great first date with a man who then told her: "I'm not at a place right now emotionally where I can handle dating or having a serious relationship." What does this mean? See how "He" and "She" have tried to decode and figure it all out. [Link]
The Husband's Sanctifying Role in Marriage
In a very real sense, God the Holy Spirit is the agent of sanctification in the life of believers. Although his ministry to us is sometimes direct and personal, he often chooses to work through the lives of others to press us toward holiness. In marriage the husband plays a special role in encouraging his wife's spiritual growth. [Link]
Are We a Nation of Hindus?
"Recent poll data show that conceptually, at least, we are slowly becoming more like Hindus and less like traditional Christians in the ways we think about God, our selves, each other, and eternity." [Link]
Health Care Reform: Too Great a Good for Caesar
Every Christian longs to see medical care for all of God's children. But government already has most of the guns and cannot be trusted with most of the scalpels as well. [Link]
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled
One of the twentieth century's greatest preachers, Martin Lloyd-Jones offers eight sermons on John 14:1-12 as encouragement to Christians and direction for unbelievers facing anxiety in uncertain times. Read an excerpt from Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled. [Link]
"Shorts" Packs Several Tall Tales into One
While its charms may be fewer for anyone over the age of 10, Shorts is an eccentric, time-jumping adventure that merges comedy, sci-fi and a short treatise on the dangers of too much technology into one mostly family-friendly movie. [Link]
Formulaic "Adam" Offers Few Surprises
Formulaic to a fault, indie-romance Adam is clearly headed in one direction. It over-dramatizes milquetoast conflicts while offering up almost zero surprises en route to a predictable conclusion. Well, until a complete U-turn at the end. [Link]
Not Much Story to Tell in "Taking Woodstock"
By the end of Taking Woodstock, despite some worthy craftsmanship, this look at how Woodstock came to be actually has the inverse effect of its likely intent: it feel less historically significant without much of a story to tell. [Link]
Fun things to do with your kids
Play of the Day subscriber Brian writes, "Here is an idea that my daughter (age 7) got really excited about and I did too! I went to the library and checked out some books about our city (Cincinnati) and told her before she graduates from high school we are going to find 50 unique things to do around the city (ballet, ball games, museums, historical places, etc.) together. It was so much fun to go through the books with her and have her write down where she wanted to go and for me to write some down as well. It will be my desire to take a picture of us at each location and then make a photo album to give to her at her graduation from high school. This will give us some direction in our dates instead of just hitting stores." Here are more great ideas on simple and fun things to do with your children. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: What three things on this list would you like to do this year? [Link]
Open-Heart Surgery and Still Got Out of Debt!
Getting out of debt "it has changed who we are as people, enriched our marriage, taught our children valuable life lessons," Peter and Ginger said. [Link]
Start commission now?
Dave says that it will depend on the kid as to when they can start working for a commission. [Link]
Health Care and Religious Freedom: Forced to Choose?
Yet again, a religious institution may be forced to choose between obeying the government or staying true to its religious beliefs [Link]
What Do You Believe About the Bible?
There is a professor of humanities at Yale University by the name of Harold Bloom who has become widely known across this country as the determiner of what books a truly cultured and educated person should have read. [Link]
Kneeling in Prayer instead of Needling and Nagging
Whose words do you want ringing in your spouse's ears: yours or God's? [Link]
Ragged-Edge Faith and Reckless Generosity
Generosity is not as much an overflow of wealth as it is an overabundance of faith. Stinginess, on the other hand, is a sure sign that a person trusts things instead of God. [Link]
Money-Saving Lessons from a Single Mom
The most valuable financial gift my mom gave me didn’t cost her a cent. It was the gift of frugality… [Link]
Drive-Through Weddings?
When you thought that it could not get any worse than the hastily planned Las Vegas wedding ceremony, now meet the "drive-through wedding…" [Link]
Do You Have Wounds Created Long Ago?
It is impossible to go through life without not only experiencing pain, but creating it as well. Here are some ideas for couples who have created wounds in their marriage… [Link]
One weekend a year
Ever thought about doing a weekend excursion with each of your children? This can be an annual tradition when you take each of your kids individually on a modest weekend trip wherever they would like to go. Camping or a theme park would be a great idea. This is a great way to build lasting memories with your kids that they'll remember all their lives.Find out how Coach Tony Dungy spends one-on-one time with his children. Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Where would each of you like to go with me for a weekend this year? [Link]
Behavior affects will
A listener from Twitter wants to know what kinds of techniques Dave uses to delay getting what he wants. [Link]
Andew Marin: Straight Guy in a Queer World
How do straight Christians build bridges to the gay community? Author Andy Marin shares his experiences as an evangelical living in the heart of Chicago's gay community. [Link]
A Peek into Fetal Memory: Learning in Utero
Do you remember Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat? You’ll be surprised to learn who else remembers it. [Link]
Having God’s “More-Than-Enough”
It’s easy for me, at times, to look at what others have and be envious. But so often I forget all I do have…and that it is more than enough. [Link]
New Rules for Job Applicants
You could be an applicant as soon as tomorrow, so it is important that you realize that the rules have changed… [Link]
Just Gimme a Little More Time!
I once saw a client who had taken a temporary job at a bank. He knew that wasn't where he wanted to be; it was just a fill-in job while he did his real job search. That was fourteen years ago… [Link]
Don't get stepped on in your step-family
Dr. Kevin Leman in his book, Living in a Step-Family without Getting Stepped On, relates: "Disciplining the children may be the number one issue among blended families, but anger is the villain causing most of the discipline problems. You can bet that almost everyone in a blended family is mad at someone or someone is mad at them. Stepmoms are mad because they are treated like dirt or like the maid. Stepdads are mad because all they seem to be good for is paying the bills. Kids are mad because one of their parents is gone, sometimes forever. Children in the blended family are especially angry because they have been 'ripped.' They are hurt, and often they want to hurt back."So how do you achieve a successful step-family? Read on for some practical advice.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: How can we create more harmony in our blended family? [Link]
The Arts & the Maturity of the Church
What if integrating the arts into the Church is more than just a nice idea? What if this integration is essential to the maturity of the Body of Christ?" [Link]
Bush Quietly Saved a Million African Lives
It is rare when history can so directly, indisputably credit a president for a specific, undeniable policy achievement–especially one that received virtually no press attention. [Link]
Andew Marin: Straight Guy in a Queer World
How do straight Christians build bridges to the gay community? Author Andy Marin shares his experiences as an evangelical living in the heart of Chicago's gay community. [Link]
A Peek into Fetal Memory: Learning in Utero
Do you remember Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat? You’ll be surprised to learn who else remembers it. [Link]
Dave Says – August 24, 2009
What's the best way to ask for a raise … [Link]
The advertising rule
How much is too much of an advertising budget for your business, and how much is too little? [Link]
Heroine for Life: Lila Rose Vs. Planned Parenthood
In recent years, that name has popped up again and again, attached to some absolutely amazing stories. [Link]
Is It Biblical to Be Funny?
In Religion Saves, Pastor Mark Driscoll set out to determine the most controversial questions among visitors to the Mars Hill Church website, and received hundreds of requests. Here he tackles one of the top nine questions: what should Christians find funny? [Link]
Wearing the Disguise of Faithfulness
Meeting barely a month after the Episcopal Church voted to end its ban on the consecration of openly homosexual bishops and the blessing of same-sex unions, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America [ELCA] has taken similar steps. [Link]
The Death Penalty on Trial
That the Bible advocates and even commands the enforcement of the death penalty seems almost like it should be beyond controversy. The dignity God gives to humans, created as they are in his image, demands the utmost penalty for those who would recklessly and deliberately destroy life. Yet controversy abounds with many of those who profess Christ insisting that a God of love and justice would never endorse the use of this ultimate human punishment. [Link]
Duplicity Doubles Star Power, but Sparks Don't Ignite
In Duplicity, the banter between Julia Roberts and Clive Owens is too sporadic, held back by the film’s stop-and-start quality which hinders the emotional bond that might have formed between the audience and the stars. [Link]
Stars Shine Bright in Sunshine Cleaning
It shares a word ("sunshine") and an actor (Alan Arkin, again in a supporting role) with Little Miss Sunshine, but in Sunshine Cleaning lead performances from Amy Adams and Emily Blunt may yet vie for Academy recognition at next year’s ceremony. [Link]
Love Doesn't Give up in Goodbye Solo
Ramin Bahrani’s Goodbye Solo is a simple tale, quietly told, and one of the best films you’ll ever see. While God is never mentioned during its 90-minute run time, it works as an eloquent parable of God’s love for fallen people. [Link]
Too much TV stunts children's minds
Too much TV can have a profoundly negative effect on your children's developing minds, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Their findings show that higher levels of television viewing correlate with lower levels of academic performance; that the nature of TV stimulus may predispose some children to attention problems; and that mindless television shows may slow the development of the areas of the brain responsible for self control, moral judgment and attention.This means that too much TV can cause physical changes in your kid's brain! And this should worry any caring father. So if your children are watching too much television, turn it off. Hand them a book, and by doing so, you will turn on their minds. For more on limiting television for your children, read this.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What are some fun activities we can do together instead of watch television? [Link]
Staying motivated
Sometimes to get to something you love, you have to go through something you hate. Just remember where you are going. [Link]
It Promises Far Too Little: The False Gospel of Prosperity Theology
God never assures his people of material abundance or physical health. Instead, Christians are promised the riches of Christ. [Link]
How You Can Make a Fresh Start
No matter how stuck you may have become, you can move forward with God’s help. Here's how. [Link]
Courageous Worship
How worship leader James Ward makes music integral to New City Fellowship's Christian mission. [Link]
Learning Patience from the Big-Time Operator
I know God's conception of time varies greatly from mine. I know a thousand years with the Lord is as a day. I know God takes the long-term view of temporal events. I know all that; I just don't like it very much. [Link]
Pray for Your Adult Children
Praying for your adult children will connect you to the only perfect Parent – God – and invite Him to act powerfully in their lives… [Link]
Love, But Not “In Love”
Often it is the kiss of death. One says to the other, “I love you, but I’m no longer in love with you…” [Link]
The Eye of a Naturalist: Teaching Your Child to Observe
As a nature journalist and homeschooling mom, I’ve learned to take advantage of “divine appointments” with God’s creation. [Link]
Do you have a "difficult marriage"?
Relationships, especially marital relationships, can present many challenges. What separates successful marriages from non-successful ones is the commitment to work through difficulties. So if you're struggling in your relationship with your wife, realize you're not alone. Every husband is. And our wives are struggling with us. The key is to realize that you can have a satisfying marriage if you're willing to work at it. You just need grit and a few tools. The first step is learning how to argue well. Take a look at this lighthearted Monty Python video about arguing, and then for some real-life tips on resolving conflict, read this. Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: How can we do a better job of arguing? [Link]
Back taxes and jail
This caller's son hasn't paid taxes in years? [Link]
"Post Grad" Doesn't Earn High Marks in Reality
Instead of giving the storyline the gravitas it deserves, Post Grad quickly goes Little Miss Sunshine with way too much screen time dedicated to the main character's quirky family, the sort only dreamed up for movies in the first place. [Link]
When Someone Else Gets What We Want
One sure indicator as to whether or not a good desire has morphed into an idol is how we respond when someone else gets the very thing that we want but don’t have… [Link]
The Hidden Reality of Abortion — Empowering Men
As Richard Stith argues, the legalization of abortion "was supposed to grant enormous freedom to women, but it has had the perverse result of freeing men and trapping women." [Link]
One for You, One for Me: Shanghai's Two-Child Policy
China is looking “nervously” at neighboring Japan, whose low birthrate and aging population are undermining its post-war economic miracle. [Link]
Healthcare Controversy Comes to My Hometown
While passing through the two blocks that make up the downtown area of Grove City, Pa., I saw something you rarely ever see in my hometown—people holding protest signs. [Link]
Jonny Diaz Debuts with More Beautiful You
On his debut More Beautiful You, Jonny Diaz churns out a stalwart set of tracks, starting with the single “More Beautiful You.” It’s a track promoting a not-so-original message about true beauty, but nonetheless still has a delightful hook. [Link]
Until June: A Place of Their Own
They rode to the top of the charts for 28 straight weeks, but you may have never heard of Until June. Of course, those charts were the pop charts in Greece, so perhaps it makes sense that the L.A. piano-pop trio slipped under your listening radar. [Link]
How your kids should handle a bully
Yesterday we talked about what a traumatic experience being bullied is, and how you should react as a father. Today, here are a few tips for your kids. First, have your kids make their friends aware of the bullying situation. That way there can be a united front – bullies have a hard time getting their way with groups. Then, teach your kids how to graciously stand up for themselves verbally, without getting into a fight. And this may include just ignoring the bully. Finally, if the teasing starts getting out of hand, you or your child can let a teacher know, in confidence, what's going on and the teacher can make sure to monitor the situation. Bullies enjoy bullying because it gets them attention. But the attention of school officials might be just the remedy for these mini-dictators. For some practical tips on how to handle bullying, and when to get help, read this tip sheet from our motherhood program, iMOM.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: If a kid in your class is always being really mean to you or one of your friends, what do you think you should do? [Link]
Open-Heart Surgery and Still Got of Debt!
Getting out of debt "it has changed who we are as people, enriched our marriage, taught our children valuable life lessons," Peter and Ginger said. [Link]
I Didn't Want to Damage My Credit
"To further complicate the problem, I continued to use the credit card for emergencies when I expected to have extra income to pay it off," Delvin said. [Link]
A bigger baby emergency fund
Sean presents a plan that might mean skipping a Baby Step. Does Dave agree with her special situation? [Link]
A Plea for Grace in the Debate
I am not smart enough to decide what God has called people to do. If He has placed a desire for people to impact the culture through political action I am not about to question their motives. But I do believe that those of us who claim the name of Jesus need to communicate our views with grace and compassion. [Link]
A Lover’s Quarrel with the Evangelical Church
“My name is Warren, and I’m a recovering evangelical.” There are plenty of books today that begin in roughly this way—biographies by Franky Schaeffer and Bart Ehrman come to mind. But Warren Cole Smith is different in that he remains an evangelical, he remains a professed Christian. His recovery from evangelicalism does not involve tossing away the faith, as others have prescribed. [Link]
A Happy Church is a Healthy Church?
"God wants us to be happy." Hmmm. I wonder if that really is the message the Man of Sorrows wants us to take as the operating motif of our discipleship. [Link]
Telling Mary's Story: Orissa One Year Later
Sunday marks on year since the outbreak of horrific violence against Christians in Orissa, India. As a reminder, we want to share a portion of one woman's story. [Link]
Sleepy, "Lazy" Teenagers?
A simple approach to improving both discipline and academics in schools is to start the school day later. [Link]
Is your child getting picked on?
We all remember being in junior high and kids tormenting us on the way we dressed or the zits that surfaced on our face. Well, nothing's changed since then. If anything, things have gotten worse. At some point, your kids will be singled out and made fun of. And it will hurt. So, as a father, there are a few things you can do. First, share with your children that getting teased is a normal part of growing up and that you went through it and survived. Then, tell them that the person giving them grief is probably insecure and only thrives on putting others down. Finally, and most importantly, make sure you reinforce over and over to your child how much you love them, and reiterate all the positive things about them. Tomorrow, we'll talk specifically about how your child should respond to a bully. For more about the problem of bullying, read this. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What should you do when someone makes fun of you? [Link]
Is He the Marrying Kind?
Being intentional about who you spend significant time with can save you heartache and perhaps nudge you closer to finding your future mate. To find a prospective mate or to move a relationship forward, first look for the right kind of man: the marrying kind. [Link]
The Power of Forgiveness
Let’s consider some truths that can help us move forward from the ledge of bitterness and unforgiveness… [Link]
What happens with the mortgage?
Danny's smart; he knows that if his bank goes under, it doesn't mean the end of his mortgage. But what happens to it? [Link]
Let's Make Some Autumn Resolutions
Any and all resolutions for good have God’s approval—if we resolve by faith in Jesus. I would like to encourage you to make some autumn resolutions. [Link]
God is Good Even When Life is Bad
When things are going smoothly, you might not find it hard to believe that God is good. But if life takes a bad turn, you might ask, "How could a good God allow this?" Daniel can empathize. [Link]
Having God’s “More-Than-Enough”
It’s easy for me, at times, to look at what others have and be envious. But so often I forget all I do have…and that it is more than enough. [Link]
She Colors My Day Reveals Amy Grant's Direction
While not the full-length album longtime fans have been salivating for since 2003’s Simple Things, this Mother’s Day-themed EP does provide a glimpse into Amy Grant’s current direction through two new tunes. [Link]
Fame and Family Collide Predictably in Hannah Montana
Considering the way art seems to imitate Miley Cyrus' life these days, the timing probably couldn't be better for the big-screen treatment of Hannah Montana. Not only does it solidify Cyrus' place as the ultimate good girl, but Hannah is a character Cyrus can play convincingly. [Link]
The King’s Legacy: A Story of the Wisdom of the Ages
In a land and time far from our own, there was an enchanted kingdom ruled by a benevolent and much-loved king. He had led his people through times of uncertainty and turmoil into a golden age of prosperity and peace. Read an excerpt from Jim Stovall’s latest, The King’s Legacy. [Link]
You as a grandfather
Believe it or not, you may be a grandfather before you know it, and one of your most valuable possessions will be the honor and respect of your children and grandchildren. Read this article and reflect on what can be… just a few, short years down the road.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Would you like to be a parent someday? Why or why not? Do you think I'll be a good grandparent? [Link]
Dave Says – August 17, 2009
What goes on behind the scenes with a short sale? We're trying to buy a house that way … [Link]
No Credit Cards! No Payments!
"All that is left to do is pay the mortgage on our home and build up a fully-funded emergency fund. It feels so amazing!" Kimberly said. [Link]
$540 for Two Months on a New Mattress
"Since we could not sleep at the thought of the $3,645 we had just added to our debt, we returned the bed, but not without paying stupid tax!" Mitchell said. [Link]
Can she stay at home?
Does Jeremy have too much house for his salary, with a new baby on the way? [Link]
Obama Is Not the Anti-Christ
Mostly we can afford to sigh and move on when videos like this are made and sent to us, but occasionally a snort of gentlemanly disgust is warranted. [Link]
Ex-Prisoner Michael Vick: Employment and Second Chances
While Americans are ready, even anxious, to forgive celebrities’ transgressions, they can be downright vindictive when it comes to ordinary offenders. [Link]
Doing Well by Doing Good
Over the past three years, lending directly to friends, family members and even total strangers has become a popular way of earning a decent return, while helping out specific people strapped for cash… [Link]
Richard Doster: Focused on Fiction, Civil Rights and The South
What would you do if faced with injustice—if it meant putting your life, and the lives of your loved ones, in danger? That’s the question author Richard Doster asks in his poignant, well-written historical novel, Crossing the Lines. Read our interview. [Link]
Scholarships: How to Avoid the "Gotcha's"
If you are a student (or the parent of a student) fortunate and strong-willed enough to earn a scholarship, let me share a few thoughts on how to make the most of it… [Link]
Why Did God Do This to Me?
A reader writes, "I’m at a job that I hate mainly because I feel like every day I’m set up to fail. There’s no job satisfaction… " [Link]
Interrupted
What happens when Jesus interrupts the average life? Interrupted encourages believers to ask if their lives bring integrity to the gospel. Follow the faith journey of author and fellow disciplemaker Jen Hatmaker and rediscover Jesus among the least of us. [Link]
Have you laid the ground rules for dating?
If your kids are approaching those teenage dating years, let them know well in advance what's expected from them. But first, you have to decide what your game plan is. You may want to consider only having your children group date until they're a certain age, having your child's boyfriend or girlfriend over to your house often so you really get to know them, and setting a reasonable curfew hour. You'll find it much easier to get all these rules set down ahead of time – before your kids fall "madly in love."There are alternatives to traditional teen dating. Find out more here. Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: What dating guidelines should we set for our kids as they approach their teens? [Link]
How much he spends
Dave gets ticked with Lisa's husband over how he handles money. [Link]
Money-Saving Lessons from a Single Mom
The most valuable financial gift my mom gave me didn’t cost her a cent. It was the gift of frugality… [Link]
Did the Crusades Get a Bum Rap?
"I get tired of people apologizing for the Crusades, like Christians were a bunch of dirty looters that went over there and killed everybody," says author Rodney Stark. "It just wasn't true." [Link]
The Preacher's Greatest Temptation
There's something self-righteous and hypocritical within us that cries out for the preacher to "let those other people have it!" But this type of sermonizing is less prophetic and more cheap preaching. [Link]
Special Needs, Special Love
Many families out there know what it means to have kids with real special needs, families whose daily experiences, and choices in response to those experiences, give the rest of us hope that life can still go on, hope can still ring true… [Link]
How to Plan for a Successful Marriage
What is the “magic formula” for a long and happy life together? [Link]
Men: Manage Your Anger Like Jesus Did
Thanks to your relationship with Jesus, you can control your anger so it won’t control you. [Link]
Do you believe in miracles?
It has been called the greatest miracle in all of sports history, when the United States hockey team defeated the heavily-favored USSR team in the gold medal round at the 1980 Winter Olympics. This single event has been described as being the pivot point that restored American confidence and got us out of a deep recession.Enjoy watching the last 5 minutes of this "miraculous" game with your kids and talk to them about what can happen when you believe you can achieve, no matter how difficult the circumstances Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: When you are facing a very tough situation, how should you act? [Link]
Rebuilding credit
Rebuilding your credit is only for broke people who want to keep living off of credit. [Link]
The Little Victories Keep Us Going
"It seemed so out of reach at first, but after paying off the dog, the credit card and the truck, we're pumped!" Jenny said. [Link]
Say No To Cosigning
Cosigning for someone – even your child – is not a good idea. Why? Because debt like this can easily ruin relationships like it did for Joanne. [Link]
Parenting Adult Children: Six Steps to Sanity
Sanity is what we gain when we stop focusing on our adult children and begin to focus on changing our own attitudes and behaviors… [Link]
Are You Missing Your Life?
Are you missing your own life? If you’re too busy to savor the moments that can become memories to treasure, you’re missing out on the life God wants you to enjoy… [Link]
Will Man Rob God?
How is it possible that somebody who has given his life to Christ can withhold their financial gifts from Him? [Link]
The Secret to Winning Spiritual Wars
Sometimes, when the pain is very deep, you need someone to do your praying for you. The Bible has a name for these people: intercessors. [Link]
"District 9" Disappoints Despite Inspired Genre Mash-Up
In an inspired genre mash-up of sci-fi, horror and documentary styles, District 9 looks to tackle relevant themes related to the War on Terror (and the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, specifically) through a parabolic lens. [Link]
Visually Dazzling "Ponyo" Worth a Peek
Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid, Ponyo also includes some distinctive, dazzling visuals—a trademark of director Hiyao Miyazaki—but its magical moments don't overcome its weaknesses in storytelling. [Link]
"Time Traveler's Wife" Gets Lost in Translation
There's plenty that's lost in translation from book to the big screen in The Time Traveler's Wife—like a rhyme or reason to the time travel itself, anything in the way of character development, or depth of human emotion. [Link]
Relishing repetition
If there's one constant about raising small children, it's seeing how much they enjoy repetition. A small boy may climb up and go down a slide all afternoon and be perfectly content. A young girl may enjoy jumping rope in the driveway for hours. You see, for a child, there's an incredible capacity for wonder in doing what we adults see as trivial. There's quite a temptation for parents to think we always have to entertain our kids or plop them in front of the newest TV cartoon. But don't underestimate the simple things in life that can bring them so much joy. It's the capacity to experience wonder that makes a child's life so wonderful.For more on fathering your pre-schooler, read this.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What is your favorite thing to do outside? [Link]
On Our Way to an Early and Dignified Retirement
"Baby Step 6, which we are currently on, is on hold until my husband graduates from college and gets another job!" Laura said. [Link]
A wrong way to pay off
Misty has a great way to pay off her car loan and free up budget money, or so she thinks. [Link]
I Wasted $105 on a Headlight
"Talk about feeling like an idiot — an idiot that was out an extra $105!" Sarah said. [Link]
Gay Versus Christian and Gay Christians
Christians, even when they try to engage the gay community relationally, are prone to operate with a caricature understanding of the gay apologetic and a false sense of understanding. Evangelical, straight, and living in the heart of Chicago's gay community, Andrew Marin offers a new way to elevate the conversation. [Link]
Apply Heat to Half-Baked Health Care Reform
A colleague of mine says that when politicians feel the heat, they see the light. That's why we need to make this summer a hot one for our elected leaders. [Link]
Polyamory — The Perfectly Plural Postmodern Condition
The ultimate sign of our moral confusion becomes evident when virtually no one appears ready to condemn polyamory as immoral. [Link]
With God, There is Always More to Know
Some readers asked if I could suggest some common characteristics of seekers who DO find God. A windy night off the coast of Washington state provided some answers… [Link]
Parenting by personality type
You've probably heard a lot of about strong-willed children. (You may even be raising one or two!) But what about the unmotivated or more passive child? And did you know that each one responds to a different style of parenting?Each child's temperament holds both positive and negative qualities. While strong-willed children can sometimes be defiant and rebellious, they can also be determined, highly motivated and persistent; qualities that, when channeled correctly, can make them excellent leaders. The unmotivated or passive child may lack the ability to stand up for themselves, make firm decisions, withstand temptations or see tasks through to completion, but they also may be more cooperative, flexible and generally easier to get along with. Here's some advice on identifying your child's personality type, and what you can do as a parent to help create a harmonious and productive balance of their positive and negative traits.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you think we're doing a good job interacting differently with our children based on their different personality types? [Link]
Back-to-School Shopping Shouldn't Leave You Broke
I know that you are anxious to get your kids back into school, but there is no need to take out a second mortgage. Instead, use some of these money-saving tips! [Link]
Bringing Home Baby
Welcoming a new child into the family is a joyous occasion for all, but the additional expense associated with a new bundle of joy can also be a big worry for some parents, especially in this economy… [Link]
Godly Sorrow: The First Step to Healing a Hurting Marriage
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets.” (2 Corinthians 7:10) As I reflect on this Scripture, I suggest the following actions for true healing in a hurting marriage… [Link]
A raise in the works
A listener wants to know how to go about asking for a pay raise. [Link]
The Cooking Creature — A Call for Recovered Wisdom
Christianity contributes a distinctive understanding of the importance of food and, by extension, the importance of cooking and hospitality. [Link]
Change Your Marriage from Distressed to De-Stressed
As if just living on this planet that hurls 67,000 miles each and every hour through space isn’t stressful enough, building a lasting relationship with someone else brings on a whole new set of problems… [Link]
Worship Wars: How Do We Determine Musical Excellence?
What makes worship music good or bad? I’ll tell you this—it’s more than simply a matter of taste. [Link]
Pakistani Christians Worldwide Protest Gojra Killings
Canadian Pakistani Christians on Saturday (August 
assembled in front of Legislative Assembly of Ontario to condemn recent incidents of violence against Pakistani Christians. [Link]
"G.I. Joe" Rolls Snake Eyes
G.I. Joe's reported $175 million budget can be seen up on the screen, as some of the film's special effects are effectively eye-catching. But viewers are left with a story that feels half-formed at best. Apparently not much of that $175 million went to the screenwriters. [Link]
Christy Nockels Shines on Life Light Up
While her work with Watermark should be remembered, Life Light Up takes Christy Nockels’ work as a worship leader to a brand-new level. Her voice is as pure as it is powerful, beautifully matching the spirit of each song. [Link]
Teens and "sexting"
According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, one in five teens have sent a naked picture of themselves by "sexting" – using a cell phone to transmit the image; or by posting it on the Internet. That means your child or one of your child's friends has engaged in this sad practice. Many teens are swimming in a sea of sexual immorality and there is really only one way to combat it – open communication with your adolescent. Make sure you share your attitudes about sex openly, honestly and frequently. To find out how, read this article. To see the devastation that sexting caused in one girl's life, take a look at this video.Huddle up and ask your teens tonight: Do you know of anyone that has "sexted"? What do you think about it? [Link]
Dave Says – August 10, 2009
My husband and I are not on the same page when it comes to money and our three teenage daughters … [Link]
Tracking debit transactions
Diane needs help with how to keep her checkbook register in order with debit card purchases. [Link]
Nine Reasons Why Christ Must Return
The Bible is neither vague nor equivocal on the prophetic promise of Christ's return. Here are nine reasons from Scripture by which you and your congregation can be certain of Jesus' Second Coming. [Link]
Choose to Live Extraordinarily
God calls each of us—many out of what we think are our mundane everyday lives, to do something extraordinary and to really live, for Him. So who and what are you living for today? And how deep are you choosing to live your life? [Link]
Job, Jesus, the Devil and Me
Most people believe in God; not nearly as many believe in the devil. Even those who do tend to believe he is merely the embodiment of the "equal and opposite" force to God in the universe. And that's just not true. [Link]
What are Your Patterns?
What is the first thing you do when your eyes open each morning? What are your first thoughts? Is your attitude Christ-like, or are you conformed to the patterns of this world? [Link]
Preparing for When the Power Goes Out
Preparing for a power failure is a wise investment. Here's a rundown of the top preparation categories, plus ballpark figures of what a "readiness investment" is likely to cost… [Link]
Finance Q&A: How Can I Control My Spending?
Dear Deborah: I struggle every month to pay my bills. I’m finding that my impulse buying is getting out of hand… [Link]
Mend, don't end your marriage
Is your marriage so far down the tubes you think it would be better to get out? Don't. Eighty-six percent of unhappily married people who stick it out find that, five years later, their marriages are happier, according to an analysis of the National Survey of Families and Households. Most say they've become very happy indeed. In fact, nearly three-fifths of those who said their marriage was unhappy in the late '90s but stayed married anyway, rated this same marriage as either "very happy" or "quite happy" when interviewed again in the early 2000s. What changed? Simply put, they determined to work through their problems. For the sake of your family and your future happiness, mend, don't end your marriage.Read this eye-opening article and then share with us how you rescued your marital relationship. Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: How can we forever take the word "divorce" out of our relationship? [Link]
Why Potential Doesn't Equal Success
How can teens—who have been given so much from their Christian parents, good churches, and godly examples—chuck it all in favor of the temporary pleasures of sin? [Link]
Bad moves at church
Lana and her husband are debt free, but their new church is not and going further into the hole. Dave understands, but reminds her to be an influence, not a thorn. [Link]
True Success
Here is Ralph Waldo Emerson's definition of success: "To laugh often and much, to win respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." How successful are you as a father? Have your kids grade you. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: When I say the word "successful," what does it mean to you? [Link]
Spiritual Anthrax: Why God's Man Must Not Blend
If you think God's values and the world's values can coexist, think again. Blending with the world is not how a man of God follows Jesus. [Link]
Redeem Arts & Culture through Divine Inspiration
Christians, by definition of bearing the imprint of God, are creative people. The arts and culture were once our domain. To reestablish a partnership with the creative work God is doing, check these tips for Finding Divine Inspiration. [Link]
"Bread and Circuses" Don't Help Poverty in Washington, D.C.
If anyone in Congress is thinking about these policies regarding one of America’s most poverty-stricken cities, it must be a very twisted thought process. [Link]
Sexual Anarchy: America's Demise?
Is sexuality simply a private matter with no consequences for society? [Link]
10 Ways to Recover and Reconnect With Your Spouse
There will be emotional meltdowns, communication faux paus and plain old mistakes in your marriage so you need to be good at recovering, recuperating and reconnecting. Consider these ten ways to mend the fence after a marital meltdown. [Link]
Making Time For Family
With the fast pace that we live, how do we make time for those we love? As the mother of eight fast-moving children, I’ve found some simple solutions to increasing your family time… [Link]
Settling for Less Than the Best
You know the routine. You’ve been dating a guy for a year and a half. He’s nice enough, your friends and family like him, but, like a stale piece of gum, the zip isn’t there. [Link]
Bad marriage and parenting
Dave thinks there is a bigger problem in this caller's marriage than just some parent issues. [Link]
12 Traits of an Abusive Relationship
In an attempt to help singles avoid a destructive relationship or a painful marriage I offer insight on how to detect a toxic, abusive person… [Link]
What Are We Singing: Lead Me to the Cross
Do you turn on the TV or radio first thing when you walk into the house? Does quiet drive you bonkers? Contemporary hymn Lead Me to the Cross suggests an alternative with the line, "Quiet my soul remember…" [Link]
Pakistani Christians Strive for Justice Following Onslaught
A standoff between Pakistani officials and Christians protesters ended with officials finally consenting to file a complaint against key Muslim clerics. [Link]
Why Pastors Should Care About Global Warming Policy
While on the surface global warming alarmism might seem like a peripheral issue, it has profound spiritual, moral, and economic implications for believers — and especially the poor — that pastors can ill afford to ignore. [Link]
"Julie & Julia" Serves Up a Delicious Comedic Diversion
In addition to fantastic acting from all of the leads (Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci), the skillful direction and winning screenplay from Nora Ephron help seal the winsome appeal of Julie & Julia. [Link]
Michael Snyder: His Writing and His Return Policy
Michael Snyder understands good characters. In his debut novel, I Am Russell Fink, he introduced us to hypochondriac Russell Fink. In his second book, Return Policy, he serves up three new characters—equally distinct and comical, though more heart-wrenching. [Link]
9 Questions with Philmont
This Beautiful Republic's Ben gets the inside scoop on Philmont, an impressive new act on ForeFront Records. Philmont front man Scott Taube answers Olin's questions in this very special CMCentral.com artist-to-artist interview. [Link]
Strong fathers, strong daughters
Pediatrician Dr. Meg Meeker says that the best thing in the world for girls, is to have a father who loves them. Find out why by watching this. Huddle up with your daughters tonight and give them each a big bear hug. [Link]
We Said Goodbye to Over $40,000 in Student Loans
"Now, less than one year after getting married, we are totally debt-free and starting out on the right track," Steve and Nikki said. [Link]
Government Grants Infomercial Scam
I fell for an infomercial that offered tools for only $3.95 to help you apply for thousands of dollars in federal grants that never had to be repaid. [Link]
For how long should I rent?
Abby just moved into town and doesn't know how long she should wait before buying a house. [Link]
So Help Me, God: The Expectation of Leadership
Most office-holders begin their term by swearing to serve the people, "So help me, God." Do we therefore have a right to expect more of our political leaders? Should they be held to a higher standard than mere pragmatism? [Link]
The Gospel of Don Quixote – Facing the Accuser
The accuser in the play is called the Knight of Mirrors. Don’t most of us have that fear of being exposed to God and to others? We have an accuser in our life as well. [Link]
Change the Way You Talk to Yourself
When you carry on conversations with yourself in your mind, does what you're telling yourself reflect biblical truth? [Link]
Worship as Refuge
Worship leader John Chisum explores the benefits that come when we remember, recite and take refuge in worship. [Link]
Teaching Kids About God, Authority, and Values
Today’s culture, and in some cases, today’s parenting approaches both conspire to make raising kids to embrace Biblical, healthy morals and values a huge challenge… [Link]
Cultivating Real Intimacy between a Man and a Woman
A wise wife of goodwill, who uses her innate influence to love and to heal in facilitating emotional closeness, is a source of magnificent power in creating marital intimacy… [Link]
The Myth of Simplicity – Part 2
The myth of simplicity suggests that there should be a simple answer and there is—"Jesus loves me, this I know." Rather than let my circumstances speak to me of God’s love, I speak into my circumstances—God’s love. [Link]
Want to get two great things accomplished at once?
Why not take your kids out shopping for a special present for Mom? It doesn't have to be your anniversary or Christmas. Just a nice token of appreciation for how much she sacrifices for the family each and every day. It will make her day and allow you to spend some great quality time with your kids. So clean out the mini-van, load up the kids and head out to the mall this weekend. It will be time well spent. Need to reinvent date night with your wife? Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What should we get for Mom and where should we go to get it? [Link]
We Sold Our SUV
"We put my car on Craigslist, praying that in today's market someone would want a large SUV. At the bottom of the Craigslist ad, I wrote, 'Dave says it's gotta go!'" [Link]
Credit Card Investment Advice
"It took several months and tens of thousands of dollars in losses for it to finally sink in that following the slick-sounding advice of those investment newsletters was just plain stupid," Timothy said. [Link]
The deal from the bank
After a foreclosure and an auction, Susan is thinking of beating up the bank on the price of a house that she wants. [Link]
Mark Steele: Man on a Christianish Mission
These days, many Christians embrace a lukewarm spirituality—something a little more Christianish. In his latest book, author Mark Steele examines his own journey of how he’s ditching the “ish” and learning what it means to live like Christ. [Link]
South Korea Tries to Save Its Future – By Having Babies
South Koreans are being urged to have more babies. But you won’t believe who’s doing the urging. [Link]
Homosexuality: Know the Truth and Speak It with Compassion
Homosexuality is here to stay. In fact, it's becoming more a part of our culture every day. For Christians, the long-term plan with homosexuals should be obvious: Help them to know Christ. [Link]
Discerning Your Calling: The Influence of Others
For better or worse, our family and friends influence our biggest decisions about our life calling. We need to learn to hear God's voice among all the other voices around us… [Link]
God's Pledge of Faithfulness Deserves Our Faithfulness in Return
Your Father in heaven is committed to you! [Link]
Does Your Spending Reflect Your Values?
Every day you vote with your wallet. Where you work, where you spend, donate and even invest is a reflection of your values… [Link]
Caught your child doing something they shouldn't?
Are they at an age where they can read and write complete sentences? Rather than just giving them time-out, why not have them put together an essay on what they did wrong and how they will abstain from this action in the future? Writing a paper not only will force your kids to think about their indiscretion, but will enhance their literary skill as well. You may even ask them to do a little research to boot. Make sure the essay is done to the best of their ability. And let them know they are forgiven and loved. For tips on having your kids write an essay, read this. Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Should we start having our kids write essays when they disobey? What should the guidelines be? [Link]
Twitterdom vs. Wisdom?
I suggest that this massive addiction to information leads us away from wisdom, not toward it, creating what author Shane Hill calls “a permanent puberty of the mind.” [Link]
Social Security opt out
Is it in the best interest of Julie's family if her pastor husband opts out of Social Security? [Link]
Building Marital Security in a Culture of Divorce
Dr. Gary Smalley and his wife, Norma, share how they fortify their marriage in a society where roughly half of marriages end in divorce. [Link]
A Barbecue for God
The next time you throw a party, don’t worry about hosting the smart set or the most important people at your church. [Link]
Ghostwriter Delivers Ghosts and Gore with a Dash of God
Ghostwriter is Christian horror-with an emphasis on horror-and fills the void as a sanitized substitute for Stephen King. If you like your ghosts and gore with a dash of God, this book may be the chilled dish you've been craving. [Link]
The Soloist Is a Pitch Perfect Portrayal of Grace
The Soloist entertains and inspires with its pitch-perfect portrayal of redemption between an unlikely duo. And for Christians and otherwise, it’s also a powerful reminder that authenticity and not bailing when the going gets tough is always the best way to live. [Link]
Fast-Paced Race to Witch Mountain Has a Few Sci-Fi Charms
Instead of shooting for a straight remake, filmmakers prefer to call the latest installment a "reimagining." And given the slightly cheesy, low-grade special effects of Race to Witch Mountain’s predecessor, that's probably accurate. [Link]
Courage knows no culture
From Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace in 1301 to the Tiananmen Square uprising in China in 1989, courage transcends time and culture. Watch this video and then ask yourself, "What have I done lately that was courageous?" Courage is contagious, and your kids are always watching. Take a risk in standing up for what is right and help raise a new generation of heroes.Huddle up and ask your children tonight: What is courage? Why should we have it? [Link]
So Help Me, God: The Expectation of Leadership
Most office-holders begin their term by swearing to serve the people, "So help me, God." Do we therefore have a right to expect more of our political leaders? Should they be held to a higher standard than mere pragmatism? [Link]
The Episcopalians' Problem — And Ours
Unless we protect the individual conscience before God from the run-away individualism and subjectivity that are rampant in our culture, we risk following the Episcopal Church to the cul de sac. [Link]
Celebrating Our First Anniversary Debt Free
"Now that we are done paying off our debts, we can begin to really save for a down payment on our first house!" Jessica said. [Link]
I Missed Out on $900 from Uncle Sam
"All I can say is, I should have called an Endorsed Local Provider for my tax services!" Brandon said. [Link]
Dave Says – August 3, 2009
I started a small business a few years ago. Since then, it's grown larger than I anticipated … [Link]
Using the IRA to avoid bankruptcy
The bottom line is that Jason needs to find a long-term solution and any temporary job, instead of cashing out the IRA. [Link]
Praying for Marriage: Reflections on a Joy-Filled Day
After our celebration, I go back to praying—for my three unmarried children, our newlyweds, and the institution of marriage itself. [Link]
Develop a Family Vision
We need to set a family vision clearly before our children – and you can't do that with just a set of rules. [Link]
The Myth of Simplicity – Part 1
Relationships should not be as complicated as sin has made them but they should not be as simple as 1-2-3. At the core of each Christians life is a belief, a confident faith that God is working on our behalf. So we try, knowing that we want only what is of Him. This is the simplicity I embrace. [Link]
Tony Dungy and fishing
Early fall provides glorious weather, perfect for taking your kids fishing. And, as a father, while you may take your children fishing, it's not really the fish you're after. It's the memories and conversation. Find out more about the importance of fishing with your kids from expert angler Tony Dungy. And for some practical advice about fishing with kids, read this.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: When and where would you like to go fishing? [Link]
Christian Missions in the Third Millennium
Now facing its third millennium, the Christian church faces a moment of great historical importance and opportunity. [Link]
Courage of Shadow
Why does the bad guy always seem to have not just one but two girls? [Link]
Trusting God in the “Accidents”
Have you ever asked, “Why did this have to happen now?” [Link]
Be Not Afraid
It’s so natural to be afraid even though the Bible tells us over 300 times ”be not afraid.” This prayer gets to the heart of why Christians can live fearlessly. [Link]
"Aliens in the Attic" Lacks Anything Resembling Imagination
This movie's banal title pretty much tells you everything you need to know. There are aliens in the attic, and there's no compelling reason for the audience to care. Surely Hollywood can offer far more substantive and entertaining kiddie fare, can't it? [Link]
Hurt by daycare costs
Childcare costs are really hurting Kathy's budget, and she doesn't know how to maintain. [Link]
How Does Christian Hedonism Relate to Evangelism?
It is a tragic thing to let so many people go on without admiring God. We could be enjoying their worship of God instead of lamenting the dishonor they do to him. [Link]
The Delusion of Determinism
Various theorists have argued that our decisions and actions are determined by genetics, environmental factors, or other forces. Now, Scientific American is out with a report on a study linking determinism and moral responsibility. [Link]
To Conservatives in a Pro-Gay Culture
Two different people recently contacted me for my advice on virtually identical situations. I’ll share with you the principles I advised them to use. [Link]
Crude Humor Drags Down "Funny People"
Funny People, the latest Judd Apatow shock comedy, doesn’t have enough of a positive message to overcome its stream of bawdy stand-up comedy and profanity-laced script. Additionally, the film’s excessive length only magnifies its negative elements. [Link]
Rom-Coms Get a Refreshing Spin in "(500) Days of Summer"
While adherence to romantic-comedy genre rules and staples lacks the inspiration of its premise, the refreshing spin of (500) Days of Summer is found primarily in first-time director Marc Webb’s style. [Link]
9 Questions with Sarah Reeves
It takes one songwriter to dig deep into the soul of another. Britt Nicole serves as our latest interviewer as CMCentral recently asked various artists to interview one another. In this interview, Britt talks with new worship artist Sarah Reeves. [Link]
Bruce Smith and Rod Woodson
Former NFL stars Bruce Smith and Rod Woodson have been recently elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But what moved them most were not the accomplishments on the field, but the support of their family off of it. Watch Bruce give tearful accolades to his father and Rod pay tribute to his wife. Then hear Coach Dungy's take on these two great athletes.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Why do you think family is so important event to NFL superstars? [Link]
A House — and a Life — Love Restored
What if you lost your home and your marriage in one day? Read Sandra's remarkable testament of God's ever-present love in impossible situations… [Link]
Living Cheap and Free
"Because we had no debt and were resourceful, we were able to live on one income …. Living with no debt has been greater than I ever could have imagined," Kelly said. [Link]
Young and Stupid
"So, four years after we divorced, I was still paying for a car that I didn't want in the first place," Nicole said. Learn from her mistake now. [Link]
The balloon loan
If the second mortgage is half or less than your annual salary, Dave says to put it in Baby Step 2. [Link]
Build Solid Female Friendships
Friendships with other women have the potential to either enrich your life greatly or hurt you deeply. If navigated well, such friendships can stretch and encourage you both… [Link]
Workplace Ministry: Action Steps for the Local Church
Ideas and strategies toward becoming a workplace ministry-friendly church that mobilizes men and women. [Link]
Love Believes All Things
I now want to take up Paul’s charge that “love believes all things.” Once again, Paul is speaking about our relationships within the body of Christ. Paul is not calling for a foolish gullibility. However, being guarded against the possibility of being taken advantage of is not correct either. If love believes all things and love is our motivation, then suspicion has no place. If one has a need and we are able to meet that need, we do so without any expectation (see Matthew 5:41). You may be taken advantage of; you may suffer a loss. You may even look foolish to the world for doing so. So what? [Link]
Quality Control: Imago Dei and Health Care Costs
Is a teenager more valuable than an 85-year-old? The allocation of health care can become an occasion for the strong to impose their will on the weak. [Link]
If Money Were No Object…
In as much as you may think you really would lie around the house, eat Twinkies and watch Seinfeld reruns – my observation is that no one enjoys doing that for more than a couple of weeks… [Link]
Organize Your Day Well
When you reach each evening and reflect on your day, are you fulfilled or frustrated? [Link]
The Assets We Have in Our Hands Today are All We Need
As entrepreneurs we quite often give much thought to wishing we had more of certain assets than we have, for we believe that if we had more we could do so much more… [Link]
Your greatest memorial
Dr. Frederic J. Baur was very pleased that he had designed the container used presently by Pringles potato chips. An inventor of many things, Baur was proudest of this one, and held the patent on it. So he asked his family to bury him in one, which they did. Part of his cremated remains was put in a Pringles can, and the rest of him in a regular urn.Many of us, when we die, may not have such an unusual funeral, but whether we're buried in a casket or a can, it's what we did with our lives that will truly be the greatest memorial. And one of the indicators of a great life is the cherished memories of you held by your wife and kids. So, if you are reading this e-mail, your heart is still pumping and your brain is still generating waves. That means you still have time to make great memories. Plan something meaningful with your family this weekend.For ten tips to better family time, read this. Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: If we could do one thing fun and free this weekend, what would it be? [Link]
We Paid for a Graduation Trip, Wedding and More!
"Besides paying off $24,000 in debt and growing our emergency fund, we anticipated our son's graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in May 2009," Brenda said. [Link]
No Interest Financing Is Still Financing
"Being the nerd of the family, I talked my wife into signing up for 18-months-no-interest financing," Thomas said. Not a good idea. [Link]
A quick payoff
James thinks he can borrow 75 grand to open a bakery and then pay it off in six months. Dave says that nothing is sure in business. [Link]
He Said-She Said: What Can the Church Do for Singles?
A reader asks: "Why does it seem most churches focus so much on married couples? And what can singles do to fit in better?" Find out how "he" and "she" have answered and what they have to say about a single’s role in the Church. [Link]
Finding Peace in Times of Distress
Where do you run when you need peace? Is your first response to go looking for a person or to pick up the phone? [Link]
Faith is a Verb
Wouldn't it be an awful thing to have said about your home, family, church, or self that Jesus couldn't do much there "because of unbelief"? [Link]
The Power of Inward Perception
How the Holy Spirit guides you through challenging times. [Link]
Cultivate Relationships in the Middle of Motherhood’s Chaos
Becoming a mom changes your life in ways that significantly affect all of your relationships – with God, yourself, and every other person in your life… [Link]
Easy On The Emotions!
Losing perspective during times of heightened emotion is nothing new. Elijah wanted to kill himself when in the midst of heightened discouragement. Thankfully, there are simple tools we can apply when in danger of losing perspective… [Link]
The Secret to a Lasting Marriage: Embrace Imperfection
You know, life is full of imperfect things…and imperfect people. But somehow in the past 37 years, Jack and I have learned to accept the imperfections in each other… [Link]
Role models
Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich might be the fourth out of the state's last eight governors to go to jail. It's not a legacy Abraham Lincoln would have wanted his state to have. But the problem is bigger than modern-day Illinois politicians. It seems that character is in short-supply all over America. Whether it's athletes, politicians, actors, businessmen or even clergy, it seems our kids have slim pickings when it comes to role models. Hear why Coach Dungy thinks there are so few role models today and why it's important that you are one of them to your children….Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you think I am a good role model for our kids? [Link]
Dave Says – July 27, 2009
My boyfriend was supposed to help me pay for my car … [Link]
These parents are out of line
Jim's parents have a serious attitude problem, especially considering how he gives money. [Link]
The Culture of Offendedness & the Christian Challenge
Our society may be overly and easily offended, but many Christians still manage to be offensive for reasons other than the offense of the Gospel. [Link]
Christian Charity: Good News in Hard Times
There is one institution that has a clear and non-delegable duty to reach out and help those who are suffering. This great institution is the Church. [Link]
The Gospel of Oppression? Jimmy Carter on Religion
Carter seems to draw a parallel between teaching that gives women different roles than men and the horrors of forced prostitution, genital mutilation, rape, and slavery. [Link]
When it Does Not Pay to be Cheap
Those of us trying to reduce our spending often think, "If cheap is good, then cheaper must be even better." As noble as that thought might seem — and it pains me to admit it — that is not always true… [Link]
Motives Matter in the Workplace
“Motives are weighed by the Lord” (Proverbs 16:2). What lurks in our hearts can either position us for promotion or prevent us from receiving God’s finest… [Link]
Two Couples, Two Ways of Handling Money
How much you have is not always a function of how much you make. Free-spiritedly riding the financial wave from week to week is both risky and restrictive. [Link]
Painful Experiences are Part of the Plan
The greatest weakness God’s man can have is being unaware of weaknesses. But God's plan is to use the very things we want to keep secret or hidden. [Link]
What? Shop with my wife?!!
It's no mystery that most women enjoy the shopping experience. If you're like most men, you shop with the "hunter" mentality – to get what you need as quickly as possible and get back to your cave, and shopping with your wife can tend to frustrate this plan of yours. Instead, look at occasionally shopping with your wife as another way to spend quality time with her. When you go shopping with her, make communication and fun your main priority… and enjoy a nice dinner afterwards. You'll have a very happy wife and an overall pleasant experience.Speaking of shopping, have you and your wife taken the consumer marriage quiz? Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask her: Can I go with you the next time you go shopping? [Link]
“THE DAVE RAMSEY SHOW” ADDS 450TH STATION
"The Dave Ramsey Show" is now available in 450 markets having joined the line-up on D.W.S. Inc. owned station WDWS 1400 AM, weekdays from 6p.m. to 9p.m. CST in Champaign. [Link]
An uninterested free spirit
One listener doesn't know what to do when the free spirit wants to just leave the budget to the nerd. [Link]
It's never too late
According to the Associated Press, Sergeant Chris Walker, a police officer in Virginia, started hearing a name around the office that sounded familiar — Detective Clay Hamilton. After some casual questions for the 53-year-old Hamilton, Walker called his mother to see if he could get some more information about his hunch. Turns out the 37-year-old Walker's mother had a brief relationship with Hamilton and became pregnant. But she moved away from the Richmond area and Hamilton never got to meet the baby — until now. A DNA test confirmed that Walker and Hamilton are father and son. The two men are making up for lost time by spending time together. Walker credits his faith for the reunion – proving it is never too late to mend broken relationships. If you're a father and your kids do not live with you, you still matter tremendously to them. Read one father's story on how he made the most out of a bad situation to still stay connected to his kids.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What can we do for a friend you know who does not have his father around? [Link]
A Dangerous Cure: Seven ObamaCare Health Myths
President Obama’s healthcare reform plan is the classic case of a “cure” that’s worse than the disease, though it has deceived many well-meaning people. [Link]
Can Christians Use Birth Control?
Pastor Mark Driscoll set out to determine the most controversial questions among visitors to the Mars Hill Church website, and received hundreds of requests. Here he tackles one of the top nine questions: can Christians use birth control? [Link]
Concerning Alcoholic Beverages
In 2006, the SBC approved a resolution which not only expressed opposition to church members drinking alcohol, but also stipulated that no one who does so may be elected to serve within the denomination. Seminary president Paige Patterson supports the stand with a look at Scripture's warnings about strong drink. [Link]
Does God Want You to Leave Your Church?
You love God. And He must want you to stay at your church, right? Maybe not… [Link]
Is the Soul Mate Mentality a Sham?
When the reality of merging two lives into one collides with our romantic stirrings, many people deduce that they didn’t find their “soul mate” after all… [Link]
Adoption Groups Counter 'Orphan' Horror Film
Adoption advocates are rallying to speak up for the world's orphans in light of an upcoming Warner Brothers horror film that depicts a young adopted orphan girl as a murderer. [Link]
Stop Doing What You’ve Always Done
“I’m so tired of the way my wife treats me,” Jim, an older man, wrote to me recently. “We’ve been married for over thirty years, and nothing really has changed… [Link]
3-D "G-Force" Proves Strictly One-Dimensional
Despite a covert team of “highly trained” guinea pigs, G-Force is jazzed up only by a 3-D presentation. But even those moments deliver few eye-popping delights. It doesn't take special glasses to realize nearly every other element is strictly one-dimensional. [Link]
Raising a Family 'Of Different Minds'
Maren Angelotti talks with Crosswalk.com about parenting kids with — and without — learning differences in a way that makes sure nobody is overlooked. [Link]
Finding Fulfillment in Life
Some of us try all our lives to acquire a key to a certain washroom in the company, or parking spaces with our names on them. When we receive them, however, what do we have? [Link]
The Allure of Modesty
Yes, men are aroused by sultry women who flaunt their sensuality and their bodies as a form of power. But the women they marry are usually the ones whose sensuality is much more hidden from view—there for the right man, but not on display for all the world to see. [Link]
Worship Life: The Singing and Dancing King
Humanly speaking, David fulfilled many roles, but among all his qualities and accomplishments, the one that stands out the most is his love of music. [Link]
Crass Over Class Prevails in Charmless "Ugly Truth"
What prevents The Ugly Truth from contributing anything worthwhile to the rom-com genre is its sheer absurdity. Not only does the dialogue—and attempts at humor—scrape the bottom of the barrel morally, but there aren’t even 10 seconds of this forgettable movie that are believable. [Link]
Higher Hope Blends Love and Litigation
Higher Hope, the second installment in Robert Whitlow’s Tides of Truth series published by Thomas Nelson, blends love and litigation in a twisting tale of a single Christian woman’s efforts to balance career, romance, and faith. [Link]
Reconnecting with … Jason Crabb
After The Crabb Family announced its retirement in 2007, it was inevitable that the career of frequent soloist/unofficial leader Jason Crabb would continue outside the family act. His self-titled debut released last month on the Spring Hill label. [Link]
What are you planning for your anniversary?
Is it the typical dinner and card? Or maybe a dozen roses? Why not think outside the box next time and do something really special? Like taking her back to the place where you proposed and tell her you'd do it all over again. Or put together a list of things that have changed for the positive since you've met her – like being more sensitive to others' needs or now your shirts and pants actually match. Whatever you decide to do, make it unique. The most important thing to her is that you've given some thought to this special day, not just checked it off your "To Do" list. Here's a unique idea for a special gift for your wife that won't break the bank.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Will you help me make a nice gift for Mom? [Link]
When to have a reward
It will be a while until Melissa and her husband can celebrate paying off debt. Should they do something special now? [Link]
The Gospel For Everyday Life
This idea that the gospel is just as much for Christians as it is for non-Christians may seem like a new idea to many but in fact it is really a very old idea. [Link]
“A Mind for the Poor”: Avoiding the Traps
Crisis interventions for the poor and oppressed are moral imperatives. But they only work in the larger goal of liberating poor people and nations to help themselves. [Link]
The State of Our Unions: Why Marriage Matters
Marriage is a hot topic these days. And a recent article in Time magazine makes a great contribution to the debate. [Link]
A Dangerous Cure: Seven ObamaCare Health Myths
President Obama’s healthcare reform plan is the classic case of a “cure” that’s worse than the disease, though it has deceived many well-meaning people. [Link]
Challenges of Adult Stepchildren Stress Marriage
We are having some problems dealing with our children. The counselor’s advice is for me to stay out of any issues concerning my husband’s children… [Link]
Dancing Past Regrets
“If only I hadn’t married him. If only I had just waited on God a little longer. But how could I have known?” The tears spilled out, along with Linda's regrets from the past several years… [Link]
The Importance of Family Meals
How often does your family have dinner together? [Link]
Stages of grief
Wondering how to explain loss to a young child? View this touching video about a child who experiences a loss; then read more about helping your children through grief.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do you know you can always come to me for comfort when you're sad? [Link]
Not really a fair tax
Dave breaks down for Evan how the fair tax works. [Link]
10 Things Parents Need to Know about Kids and Divorce
The TV show Jon and Kate Plus 8 has pushed the topic of kids and divorce into the news. I understand the subject only too well because I was 8 years old when my parents divorced… [Link]
Praying Preachers
The epitaph of Elijah is recorded by James, when he pens, "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." [Link]
Breaking Free of American Evangelicalism
Author Soong-Chan Rah explains why the church despereately needs to open its eyes to see the Next Evangelicalism [Link]
This Beautiful Mess
This describes the church quite well. It is here that we see the “beautiful mess,” albeit more mess than beauty today. The beauty emerges as a people once teetering on the edge of destruction are brought by grace into a new life together in Christ. As we have established, this life together—in essence our love for one another—is essential to the witness of the church and the proclamation of the gospel. Practically speaking, though, what does this love look like? [Link]
How Much Do You Really Need?
In our attempts to always have more, how do we know when enough is enough? [Link]
Dealing with the Dreaded Annual Job Review
Today, one of the most important job skills is the ability to constantly affirm your employer’s decision to hire you in the first place. Here are 11 tips on selling "Brand You" during your annual review… [Link]
Just a simple slingshot…
Have you connected with your kids recently? I mean have you really shared something special with each individual child on a deep, personal level? Creating special moments with your children doesn't have to be complicated or expensive; never underestimate the power of simplicity! A spontaneous moment spent with your child in their time of need often means more than a pricey, planned outing – just like a cheap souvenir from someplace special can mean more than a costly, high-tech gadget.One of our All Pro Dads discovered the power of simple moments when he came to his son's "rescue" one day. Read his story here, and start looking out for opportunities to really connect with your child.Huddle up and ask each of your kids today: What's something special that you would like to do, just me and you? [Link]
Paying Our Fair Share
Mike and his wife sacrificed luxuries for many years so now they can afford any luxury they want! Read their inspiring story now. [Link]
My Money Was On Fire!
Kenneth used to smoke two packs of cigarettes a day until he realized how much he was spending. Read his eye-opening story now. [Link]
Emotional eating
You will not believe why Valerie is working an extra job and what the budget money is going toward. [Link]
Dave Says – July 20, 2009
I've got about $15,000 in my 401(k). I also owe $15,000 on my car … [Link]
Delivering Pizza to Pay the IRS
"We now owe about $8,000 in taxes, not including the penalties and interest. … What toppings would you like on your pizza, sir?" Lisa said. [Link]
The Amazing Disappearing and Reappearing Cross
The real reason the cross disappears from our sermons is because we allow it to slip out of the central place in our own lives. [Link]
Celebrate Christmas in July
I no longer dreaded a day full of errands in the sun-baked desert. In fact, I added a couple more stops to my list… [Link]
Placing Our Trust in the Unseen
In this day and age, when we have unbridled access to instantaneous information, it becomes easier to place more emphasis on what we see, what we know, and what we can understand than on having faith and trusting the Lord. [Link]
Envy: Exposing Your Inner Veruca Salt
Envy is defined as “a feeling of discontent and resentment aroused by the desire to have the possessions or qualities or success of another.” Is this your battle? [Link]
Watchmen Puts the "Graphic" in Graphic-Novel Adaptation
Dark and violent, Watchmen one-ups last year’s blockbuster, The Dark Knight, in explicit imagery, and it cannot be recommended. However, the story has potent themes that will resonate with viewers and demand discussion. [Link]
Dark Coraline Too Nightmarish for Kids
Coraline’s cinematic qualities are spectacular and many; its themes important and biblically sound. Nevertheless, its dark content and tone—which are nightmarish, among other things—make it inaccessible for many kids. [Link]
Talking to the Dead
As a twenty-something grieving widow, Kate Davis is supposed to put on a brave face and get on with her life, right? Instead she's camped out on her living room floor and unable to sleep because her husband Kevin keeps talking to her. Read more from Bonnie Groves latest, Talking to the Dead. [Link]
Ships and families both need boundaries
Until a few hundred years ago, ships mainly had to stay close to land because they could easily get lost or run into other ships when out to sea and away from stationary markers. In 1714, the British government established the Board of Longitude and offered a massive amount of money to anyone who could come up with a system to keep ships on track. Without any agreed upon boundaries, open sea navigation was a very dangerous venture. Parenting without boundaries is similar to ships navigating without longitudinal lines. Destinations will be missed and shipwrecks will be inevitable. As a parent, it's important to set rules and be consistent in enforcing them. Make sure you and your kids are clear about what those rules are, and your family life will be much smoother sailing. Take a look at the six A's of good parenting boundaries. Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do we have clear boundaries for our kids? Are we consistent in enforcing them? [Link]
The debt free superscream
From all across the country, Dave has a record smashing debt free screaming day. [Link]
40 Years Later: Remember the Moon Landing
The same spirit that overcame multiple “can’t-be-done” obstacles can attain a better and brighter future for mankind. But only with the help of a merciful God. [Link]
Sex and the Single Person
If the Bible addresses an issue with unrelenting frequency, and that issue is one of the strongest forces in the world, then ministers of the Word are obligated to declare God's will on that issue. [Link]
"The Orthodox Are Finished"
Acting in open defiance to the worldwide Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church has voted to end a de facto moratorium on the election and consecration of openly gay bishops. [Link]
Free to Speak: Religion in the Schools
Do you understand your child’s religious rights at school? Chances are your school principal doesn’t either. A national campaign is underway to fix that. [Link]
Getting Preschool Kids to Help with Chores
Our children can be the workforce that unloads the straw from Mama Camel’s back before it gives way. [Link]
Can This Marriage be Saved? Recovering from Adultery
Speaking as a divorce recovery expert of 20 years, let me share that it is possible to restore a marriage after an affair… [Link]
Facing the Summer with a Troubled Teen
Are you facing a summer full of storms from a teenager whose behavior has become rebellious and out of control? [Link]
Beware of some parenting "experts"
Parenting experts are sometimes self-appointed because of their college degrees and/or work experience. But that doesn't always make them right. As Mark Twain once wrote, "An expert is just an ordinary fellow from another town." So if you are really interested in having your kids turn out right, experts may be able to help some, but your best option is to find a dad whose kids you admire. Ask him about his methods. How does he do it? He'll be honored you asked and glad to share. And you'll learn what works in the real world and your family will be better for it.Here's what Bob Tebow, father of 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, had to say about raising his family.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: What parents do we know who are doing a great job raising their kids? Should we invite them over and ask how they do it? [Link]
Just leaving her hanging
Carrie is going through unbelievably tough times, and being a stay-at-home mom leads Dave to a sad answer. [Link]
Are You A Fear-Driven Parent?
When my son turned eighteen, he got a tattoo. What did his dad and I do? What most parents do. We panicked and responded in fear. [Link]
Three Things the New Pastor Wants Most
The more I reflected on it, the more I realized any pastor coming into a new church would give a month's salary for these three gifts. [Link]
The Gospel and Community
Apparently some might have perceived that I was suggesting Christians abandon personal evangelism in last week’s article. Certainly not! Let me also say I am not offering absolutes here. I am, like Christians have throughout the ages, seeking to understand and best express the mission of the church in light of our changing cultural and social reality. [Link]
Stuck in the Media's Blind Spot: Religious Freedom in India
India has the dubious distinction of being the only democracy to have refused a visit by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. [Link]
Childhood Officially Left Behind in "Half-Blood Prince"
Juxtaposing a far more ominous tone with the clumsy romantic entanglements of its teenage protagonists, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is easily the funniest, darkest and most ambitious film of the successful series. [Link]
Rockwell's Performance Orbits a Distant "Moon"
Sam Rockwell has performed well in supporting roles in several powerful dramas recently (Frost/Nixon, Snow Angels), but Moon is his coming-out party—an announcement that he's ready for the big leagues. [Link]
The Deep Joy of Jazz
In studying the emergence of jazz, it is impossible to extricate the religious element without completely altering the history of its formation. [Link]
Thoughts on attitude
Consider what author Charles Swindoll says about attitude: "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is… more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do…The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it."Now hear what Coach Dungy has to say about why attitude is so important.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do you think I have a good attitude? [Link]
I Feel Financial Peace
"He said they had financing plans available. Immediately, I thought, 'I don't need financing — I have money!' Heather said. [Link]
$9 Movie Rental at the $1 Machine
"Yes, it was a small amount of money lost, but it all adds up," Amy said. Read her story now! [Link]
Saving for college the wrong way
Tamara doesn't like the option that she has chosen to save for the kids' college. Dave has a better idea for her. [Link]
Investing Wisdom From a Master
At a time when investors are desperate for timeless advice from those few who have lived through these types of markets before, Warren Buffett's investing philosophy is especially worth considering… [Link]
The Holy Spirit: Our Gentle Teacher
The Holy Spirit doesn’t only help us with the big tasks, like writing a novel. He leads and empowers us for every good work. [Link]
Courage of Substance
We lose a portion of our integrity when we don't act. [Link]
Psalm 7: A Country-Western Song of Praise?
The footnote in my Bible refers to Psalm 7 as a, "Wild passionate song." This makes me wonder if it might have been the Hebrew equivalent to our Country Westerns. [Link]
We Believe in Miracles – And CPR
Sometimes miracles aren’t as simple as they look. Sometimes they depend on decisions we’ve made before, and whether we listened to the still, small voice. [Link]
Are You 'Speaking Greek' in Your Marriage?
Poor marital communication skills are a common malady for many couples. Here are some ways to identify your bad communication habits and turn them around for the good of your marriage. [Link]
He Said-She Said: When Looking Younger Isn't Helping
What's a 55-year-old man to do when he looks and acts younger than he is? Women his age think he's a lot younger. And when younger women find out how old he is, they don’t know what to do. See what "He" and "She" have to say about this predicament. [Link]
Facebook rules
Dad, are you savvy about social networking? Many teens are on – or want to be on – social networking sites like Facebook. As parents, it's up to us to set careful guidelines before our children venture into the rapidly changing world of social networking. First, sit down with your wife to discuss whether or not you will allow your teen to join Facebook. Then set some guidelines that would be appropriate, based on your teen's age and maturity level and trustworthiness. Here are examples of guidelines you may want to set:1.) Parents will know the password and have access to child's page.2.) Parents can customize their child's settings to make profile safer (privacy, visibility, etc).3.) Email of posts, friends, etc. come to family's home e-mail.Those are just three. Here's a list of ten guidelines you might want to follow. And remember, the best way to monitor your teen's social networking activity is to set up your own account first and learn the ropes. All Pro Dad is on Facebook. Add us to your fan list.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you think these Facebook guidelines are fair? [Link]
We Finally Came To Our Senses
"We are heading toward a debt-free life and are set to pay off all of our debt (cars, school loan, line of credit, and credit cards) in 36 months. I can't believe it, but we're doing it!" Erin said. [Link]
Fishing For Change Cost Me Hundreds!
"They had suspended my license again and had a warrant out for my arrest!" Linda said. Don't get caught in the same situation just for not wearing your seat belt! [Link]
MORE THAN 1200 CHURCH MEMBERS ATTEND FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY
In an effort to transform their financial lives, more than 1,200 members of Blackshear Place Baptist Church have attended Financial Peace University (FPU) since the church held its first class in February 2009. [Link]
DAVE RAMSEY’S FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY MILITARY EDITION NOW AVAILABLE UPDATED AND REVISED
Financial Peace University (FPU), the 13-lesson program taught by Dave Ramsey on DVD, has now been revised and updated to specifically address the financial issues servicemembers face. [Link]
Payments based on income
Sarah should do a fixed payment plus a little more to pay back her student loans after she consolidates them. [Link]
Experiencing Victory in the Midst of Trials
What trials are you facing in life right now? The solution may start with "bringing every thought into captivity." [Link]
The March of Disposable Men: Science and the President
Six months into his term, a picture of the President's understanding of science and its "rightful place" is emerging, and it is anything but flattering. [Link]
Stuck in the Media's Blind Spot: Religious Freedom in India
India has the dubious distinction of being the only democracy to have refused a visit by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. [Link]
"The Orthodox Are Finished"
Acting in open defiance to the worldwide Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church has voted to end a de facto moratorium on the election and consecration of openly gay bishops. [Link]
Childhood Officially Left Behind in "Half-Blood Prince"
Juxtaposing a far more ominous tone with the clumsy romantic entanglements of its teenage protagonists, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is easily the funniest, darkest and most ambitious film of the successful series. [Link]
You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
Brought together in an online community known as Boomer Babes Rock, Susan, Patricia and Mary form a fast friendship, even though they live in different parts of the country and lead completely different lives. Read more from Allison Bottke's latest, You Make Me Feel Like Dancing. [Link]
Watkins Finds Her Voice Beyond Nickel Creek
Less than a year after Nickel Creek called it quits, two of the three members released projects with new musical collaborations. Completing the group’s musical reintegration, Sara Watkins readies her musical prowess for the masses via a sweet solo collection. [Link]
Your daughter's wedding
Fast-forward your life a few years. You are walking your daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. You will be profoundly emotional and wonder if you did all that you needed to do. Watch this and then reflect on any changes you may need to make to ensure that on your daughter's wedding day, you will have few regrets and lots of great memories.Huddle up with your daughter tonight: What do you think your wedding day will be like? [Link]
Big Financial Changes in One Month!
In one month, Jennifer and her husband are following their first budget and have already paid off two debts! Read more of their story now. [Link]
An Emotional Car Decision
"I was scared that the car would fall apart on the highway with my husband in it. This fear spurred us to go to a car lot and tell the salesman to sell me a car," Sarah said. [Link]
Just manic spending
Manic spending is a psychological disorder, but buying stuff you can't afford is a behavior that can be changed. [Link]
Are You Financially Bound?
God's Word doesn't say we can't borrow, but it does warn us against excessive debt. If you're in debt, what changes can you make to resolve your debt and avoid debt in the future? [Link]
Evangelicalism's Terminal Generation?
Without doubt, we are facing an unprecedented set of challenges to evangelical identity. [Link]
Be a Kinder Calvinist
As you celebrate John Calvin's 500th birthday, recognize that it won't be easy to change the pejorative stereotype that clings to Calvinism, but we can start by admitting that it is accurate far too often. [Link]
Confessions of an Insignificant Pastor
"80 percent of pastors quit the ministry in their first five years, and 1,200 ministers leave the ministry each month. Who ministers to the pastor today? Where does the minister go for help?" –Mark Elliott, author of Confessions of an Insignificant Pastor [Link]
Summer Playlist
Between school letting out, vacation planning in full swing and countless music tours hitting the road, it’s officially time for some fun in the sun, enhanced all the more by the perfect playlist. [Link]
Mind of a Soldier Explored Inside "The Hurt Locker"
Key to the success of the The Hurt Locker is that its agenda is neither pro-war nor anti-war. Instead, the film is a look at the psychology of the men who go to war, and especially of those who willingly take part in the most dangerous aspects of conflict. [Link]
Life After Rwandan Genocide Depicted in As We Forgive
As We Forgive, an award-winning documentary directed by Laura Waters Hinson and narrated by Golden Globe recipient Mia Farrow, explores what it means to forgive against the backdrop of two African villages deeply scared by the Rwandan genocide. [Link]
Josh Hamilton's ultimate victory
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is tonight and, while we have been disappointed in the past actions of some ball players in recent years, here is the inspirational story of last year's All-Star Game Home Run Derby champion Josh Hamilton. Watch with your older kids and be amazed by how Josh has handled the adversity in his life.Huddle up with your kids tonight ask: Do you know someone who has had to overcome a lot of life's curveballs? How did they do it? [Link]
Moving from Air Force
Doug just finished a long military career and wants to get into something different. How can he find a truly great job? [Link]
Dave Says – July 13, 2009
I'm a big fan of your work, but I have to ask one question. Why do you advocate belief in religion … [Link]
Living Life to the Full
Why do we have that nagging sense of destiny in our hearts? Because He put it there. A hunger, a desire to walk in His wondrous plan, and to experience life super-abundantly. [Link]
Upheaval in Honduras: A Defining Moment for Obama
By condemning Zelaya’s removal from office, Team Obama has come down firmly against the Honduran people and the rule of law. [Link]
We Could All Use a Laugh in Times of Crisis
Next time you’re worried about the economy or an asteroid crashing into your house, remember, when all is said and done, it is good, not evil, that gets the last laugh. [Link]
NIH Stem Cell Guidelines Leave Ethical Loophole, Critics Say
The new NIH guidelines allows that the fertility doctor who derives the embryos can, by law, also wear the coat of embryonic stem cell researcher. [Link]
Bribing Excellence: When Incentive Replaces Virtue
Across the country, school systems are paying children to do better in school. Both inside and outside the classroom, striving for virtue is being replaced by monetary incentives. [Link]
The Power of Apology
“Look,” Peter said angrily to his wife, Janice. “I told you I’m sorry. What else do you expect from me?” I watched Janice for her reaction to Peter’s stern words… [Link]
Governors, Quarterbacks, and Soul Mates
How can self-professing Christian men like Gov. Sanford and Steve McNair make decisions so destructive to their marriages? [Link]
Great men live by faith
Author John Eldredge writes: "Life is not a problem to be solved; it is an adventure to be lived. That's the nature of it and has been since the beginning when God set the dangerous stage for this high-stakes drama and called the whole world enterprise 'good.' He rigged the world in such a way that it only works when we embrace risk as the theme of our lives, which is to say, only when we live by faith." In other words, if you're in a situation where you know you're not living up to your potential, but are too afraid to change, you're missing out. Great men take great risks… and if you're always playing it too safe, your children may not take risks either. And, in life, to gain much you have to risk much. Pick up John's book, Wild at Heart, here. And take a look at what Coach Tony Dungy has to say on the subject of stepping out of your comfort zone.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Why is taking a risk sometimes important for succeeding? [Link]
His name, her stuff
Kay is wary about combining her money and checking account with her new husband's because of his credit history. [Link]
Fruit of the Spirit: The First Steps to an Enduring Marriage
In order to love one another with a godly love, we mere mortals need a little help. That is where the “Fruit of the Spirit” comes in… [Link]
A Life of Worship
When I get caught up in what I think is worship (do this, do that because I have to), then I lose my joy. [Link]
Jailhouse Conversions: Does Forgiven Mean Forgotten?
I am concerned at the controversy over the fate of those who become believers after being convicted of a serious crime. [Link]
Who Makes Your List?
Have you ever read a verse of Scripture that you really wished wasn’t in the Word of God? For me, it was this pesky portion of First Timothy which urged that "requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone"… [Link]
There's Little to Love About "Beth Cooper"
Unlike '80s movies where the viewer got a real sense of who the geeky guy and his popular-girl crush were and what endeared the unlikely duo to each other, I Love You, Beth Cooper never bothers with those important details. [Link]
"Bruno" Goes Where No Comedy Has Gone Before
As with all comedies built on outrageous gags, Brüno goes too far. There are a few laughs along the way, but a larger cost to be paid. One can only imagine what further images will comprise future “outrageous” comedies now that Brüno has lowered the bar. [Link]
Beauty and Frustration Found In the Hands of God
There is beauty and there is frustration in newsboys’ In the Hands of God. Often capable of so much more, most of the legendary band’s latest consists of done-before lyrical turns or comfortable musical structures. [Link]
Giving your best
Feel your kids aren't giving you their best? Watch this clip from Facing the Giants, and discuss it with your kids. Many times, kids don't give their best because of mental, not physical barriers. Encourage them that they really can do amazing things – if they don't give up!Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Have you ever accomplished something you never thought you could do? [Link]
I'm a Debt-Free Single Mom and Student!
"I decided I wasn't going to live like that anymore. I realized debt was definitely not going to bring wealth," Suzana said. [Link]
It All Started With Tires
"I had a truck that needed new tires. I had no money, so I financed the tires at around $600," Ryan said. Read the rest of his story now! [Link]
The house theory
Dave says that Alex's theory of only putting down 20% on a home if you have a million dollars in the bank, so that you leave the rest in mutual funds is risky. [Link]
The Pinnacle of Success? Michael Jackson's Legacy
Jackson achieved the summit of what this culture values most—fame—and paid for it with his life. And that is a tragedy. [Link]
Rick Warren Asks Muslims for Interfaith Action
Pastor Rick Warren spent his Independence Day in the nation's capital addressing the largest Muslim organization in North America. [Link]
Paging All Singles: "There Is Nothing Wrong with You!"
If you are anything like me, you’ve endured the question, "Why aren’t you married yet?" It hurts—whether you ask or someone else does. But in truth, our marital status is not an indicator of our worth or lovability, even though it feels like it is. [Link]
The Danger of the Pulpit
If we preachers are faithful and true to the prophetic side and even to the priestly side of our calling, we can expect the tomatoes and eggs and slings and arrows … But what about bullets? [Link]
So, Your Child Is Asking for a Cell Phone?
Your child is asking for a cell phone. But how do you know if she is ready for her own phone? And how do you know if you are ready for her to have one? [Link]
Make Your Marriage a Safe Haven during Uncertain Times
While the Bible gives us truth to handle high pressured situations, a great source of relief can come from our marriage relationships. [Link]
Kids mix well with sunshine and fresh air
In his book, Last Child in the Woods, author Richard Louv explores research that links a lack of outdoor time to increasing rates of childhood obesity, attention disorders and depression. Children were ready-made to mix with sunshine and air. Make sure you get your kids outside as often as possible (but don't forget sunscreen). They may complain at first, but they'll soon discover the joys of riding a bike, exploring or shooting hoops. Also plan for extended times outdoors such as a family picnic, stargazing or camping twice a year.After sunset, the outdoor fun doesn't need to stop. Stargaze with your family by downloading these complimentary star charts. See how many stars and constellations you and your kids can find.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What fun things can we do outside this week? [Link]
Giving With Purpose
Getting out of debt is not always the easiest thing to do – but it is worth it! "It has taken a lot of tears, arguments, discipline and blessings to be able to write this to you," Scott said. [Link]
Never Own a House with Anyone Other Than Your Spouse!
"I built and bought a $143k home with my live-in boyfriend. Two years later, we split up over many issues…" Susan said. [Link]
The wrong number
Marilyn is being harassed by a collector that's got the wrong person, so Dave tells her to harass them back! [Link]
How to Live the Words of the Lord's Prayer
Do you wish to walk in "the way of the disciple"? Here is how to stop taking the words of the Lord's Prayer for granted and start living them. [Link]
Palin: Why She Left Is No Mystery
Maybe there is a logical explanation after all with no mystery involved. Governor Sarah Palin said the following… [Link]
The Rise of Extreme Tolerance
In the church today, there is a growing reluctance to take a definitive stand on any issue. Discernment is frankly not very welcome. [Link]
The President and the Fly: An Animal Rights Tragedy
The sight of the fly’s corpse lying on the White House rug was too much for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—and insects, apparently. [Link]
'Tweens, Teens Will Be Wowed by Jonas Bros in 3D
The popularity of Jonas Brothers rivals that of The Beatles back in the day (in the U.S. anyway). It’s a fact that’s not entirely lost on the band as a clip from the Fab Four’s first full-length movie rolls in the background of one scene of Jo Bros' first movie. [Link]
City of Black & White Marks Kearney’s Best Work
Much like The Fray front man Isaac Slade’s urgent vocal and almost mournful arrangements, Mat Kearney’s acoustic stylings on City of Black & White are painfully honest, moving and his best work to date. [Link]
New Artist Spotlight: Kari Jobe
I first heard about Kari Jobe from my old friend Ed Cash, the producer on her self-titled debut record (Integrity Music). It’s great to see new talent in the worship realm—especially from such a godly woman. [Link]
Think your kids are too young for drug abuse?
Think again. More than 100,000 ten- and eleven-year-olds admitted getting drunk once a week. And underage drinking is usually the first step towards harder drugs. The Partnership for a Drug Free America has some tips on keeping your kids away from drugs and alcohol: Make sure your child knows the rules – and that you will enforce them; role play likely scenes where your kids will be offered drugs; base your talks on alcohol and drug facts (not fear) so your kids will learn the real-life consequences; and get to know your children's friends. Take a look at this video, and then discuss it with your kids.Link: Above the Influence video…? BRYAN WILL DECIDE WHICH ONE.Huddle up with your kids tonight: Do you know any kids who have tried drugs? Has anyone ever asked you to try them? [Link]
Bad to cash out early
Patty's husband is itching to be debt free, but the way he wants to make it happen strikes a sour note with Dave. [Link]
True Brotherly Love: Rejoicing and Weeping
"If Christian fellowship is considered to be shaking hands and asking about your church friends' week and then sitting down and singing and listening to preaching and then going home, how is that any different than going to the bar and seeing familiar faces over a couple of beers?" [Link]
Living — and Dying — Well
God loves each of His children so deeply and wants them to know Him. His desire for them is to find peace and to come home to Him when He calls… [Link]
The Truth of Who We Are – Part 2
If you have reached that point of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” then listen! This is far more profound than the questions addressing our looks, size, shape, or accomplishments. [Link]
And Now a Word from Our Sponsor
On television, reality mingles imperceptibly with illusion. Truth is irrelevant. [Link]
Longing for Children: Facing Infertility in Marriage
One of the biggest challenges we face in our journey through infertility is maintaining the unity in our marriage. Delving into God's Word can help strengthen our marriages when the valleys of infertility seem darkest. [Link]
Communication Pitfalls: Beware of the Switcheroo!
Have you ever begun a serious discussion with your mate, and just as soon as you express your feelings, they turn the tables on you? [Link]
Dealing With Teen Anger
Anger in your teenager can take on many faces. It can be a seething anger kept quietly below the surface, or a tidal wave unleashed on everyone around them. [Link]
Huddle up
You may have noticed at the bottom of each Play of the Day e-mail, there's a Huddle Up question for you to discuss with your children or your wife. As an All Pro Dad, please take advantage of these questions as we strive to help you better communicate with your family on important topics. In addition, please let us know how your family has benefitted from our daily Huddle Up questions. Leave your comments below.Thanks for the privilege of serving you.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: If there was one thing you think Dad should do differently, what would it be? [Link]
Finally Finished With My Debt Snowball!
"I've managed to pay off just under $55,000 by mostly cash flowing the money each month," Ryan said. [Link]
Family and Money Don't Mix
"The lesson learned is that failure is okay, and if I had allowed him to fail, I would still have a brother and no debt," Karey said. [Link]
Dave Says – July 6, 2009
My husband and I are taking your classes. We own a roofing company. We offer six months, same as cash, and we accept credit cards … [Link]
Don't need credit cards
Allen may not be able to convince his family to stop using credit cards, but he may at least be able to make some good arguments. [Link]
Teaching your kids a great work ethic
Struggling to get your kids to do their household jobs well? One of the keys to being successful in your career is asking yourself what excellence in your job looks like. It's the same with our kids and their chores. When they are asked to mow the lawn or rake the leaves, they should have an idea of what a great job at that looks like, and aim at doing it well. In fact, they should strive to go above and beyond expectations. If they approach life with this philosophy, they can't help but to succeed. But how do we teach them that? Read this article for some insight. And here's a customizable chore chart that will help your kids keep on track with their chores.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you think you do a good job with your chores? Why do you think it's important to do a good job? [Link]
A Governor, a King, and the Tragedy of Adultery
The people of South Carolina now look to their governor's mansion with a sense of dread and embarrassment. [Link]
What are we Singing: Reign in Us
I have never been able to read the works of King David or the history of his life without crying. Something about David simply moves me. [Link]
John Calvin's Legacy: The Theologian of Theologians
The study of theology historically has brought to the surface outstanding thinkers and scholars. Among 16th-century Reformers, John Calvin – more than Martin Luther – developed a full-orbed systematic theology for the instruction of the church. [Link]
Portrait of a Minister (1 Timothy 4:6-16)
God expects training to be in place for ministers and in fact for all of God’s people. [Link]
True Optimism in a Wounded Workplace
One of my friends recently went through two rounds of layoffs in her company, a situation all too common these days. How do we deal with this? [Link]
Finance Q&A: Help for The Financially Desperate
Dear Deborah: There are days when there is no money to buy food or put gas in the car… [Link]
Growling at God: Why We Struggle to Give
I grew up with a dog that loved to chew rawhide bones. But if I, the giver of the bone, happened to come close to her while she was chewing, she would assert herself with a growl to let me know I better get away… [Link]
Prudence at the American Founding—and Today
“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” But men aren’t angels, and neither are their governments. Thus, the need for prudence. [Link]
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY [Link]
Use Your Independence to Submit to God
Independence is wonderful, but it also means self-rule and self-determination – two of the very things that got Israel into so much trouble in the Old Testament! [Link]
Watershed Moment: A New Declaration of Dependence
On Sunday, America celebrates another birthday. Americans will hoist their flags, march in parades, and set off fireworks. I get a thrill every time I hear the cannons blast that rousing finale of the "1812 Overture." And I get a lump in my throat whenever I join in singing "America, America, God shed His grace on thee." [Link]
Summer: The Perfect Time to Teach Manners, Flag Etiquette
Good manners do more than make children pleasant to have around; they equip your kids to face varied social situations successfully. [Link]
Sleepless in America
We live in a culture today that spurns rest. Whether it is working later hours to have more spending power or commuting longer distances to live "the good life," the truth is people are ready to skip rest to do it all… [Link]
Our Ultimate Responsibility
More often than not, our culture today emphasizes our personal rights—our liberties. The Founding Fathers chose the side of responsibility. [Link]
Another Declaration of Independence: Freedom in Christ
Even as I prize my freedom as an American, I am moved to consider a greater freedom. [Link]
Tomorrow is Independence Day
As we celebrate with hot dogs and fireworks, let's remember all the families who sacrifice so much to make sure we remain free. Check out this touching video of a military father and his daughter reuniting, and remember how many military children will be missing their father or mother tomorrow.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do we know of a military family we can encourage tomorrow? [Link]
Daily Manna from the Net for Saturday, September 4, 2010 []
NASB [Link]
The high lifestyle
Darren is thinking of a debt settlement company, but his lifestyle is what really needs fixing. [Link]
Playing Church? Or Worship?
As a little girl, 'playing church' was great fun and a delightful way to pass an afternoon. Playing church is, however, a pathetic and meaningless way to pass a lifetime. [Link]
Music in Utero: The Smile of the Unborn
If we are, as some scientists believe, “wired for music,” then babies are ideal test subjects since their reactions are, by definition, instinctual. [Link]
Feminist Ingratitude
Last week a U.S. senator treated the world to a shocking display of rudeness toward a member of our armed services… [Link]
Completely Portable Pleasure — The Annual Summer Reading List
This particular summer reading list is intended especially for men, and it is written in the hope that men and older boys will find this list particularly helpful and interesting. [Link]
When Plans Don't Go As Planned
If we spend each day with a heart of gratefulness, acknowledging the little, often unnoticed, blessings in our life, we will start to appreciate the goodness of the Lord and begin focusing on what we have rather than what we don’t. [Link]
Prevent Divorce Before You Get Married
If you use the time you’re engaged to learn healthy relational patterns, you can avoid the hurtful patterns that creep up in marriage and often lead spouses to divorce… [Link]
When Parenting Feels Lonely
Instead of overflowing with a sense of fulfillment at the opportunity to be at home with my child, I found myself missing my job, craving adult conversation, and even fantasizing about my care-free life before I was a mom… [Link]
Coming home from a business trip?
Just like the space shuttle, if you re-enter the atmosphere of your home at the wrong angle, you could be in trouble. First, realize that you and your spouse have different expectations. You're looking for relaxation. Your spouse is looking for reinforcements. You can have both if you give the reinforcement first. When you walk in, ignore the mail and phone messages and instead, immediately talk to your wife and offer to help lighten the load she has been carrying alone while you were away. Reinforce, then you can relax. Read this article to find out how work stress can affect your marriage.Huddle up tonight and ask your wife: How was your day? I want to hear all the details. [Link]
Key to the great salesperson
Dave tells Brent about the one word that will turn him into a phenomenal salesperson. [Link]
Women: Discover What Men are Really Thinking
The men in your life – fathers, sons, brothers, husbands, boyfriends, employees, friends – aren’t just women with big feet and beards… [Link]
Evangelism Tools that Go 'Vroom'
If a motorcycle rider was 100 percent sold out to Jesus, what would he or she look like? Groups of men and women around our nation are attempting to demonstrate just that. [Link]
Southern Baptists Meet to Combat Membership Malaise
Southern Baptists opened their annual meeting with calls to turn around plummeting baptism rates, even as researchers warned that the nation's largest Protestant body could lose half its size by mid-century. [Link]
Creativity of "Ice Age" Series Close to Extinction
While the filmmaker’s efforts weren’t a total bust, thanks to colorful animation, some cool CGI effects and a decent accompanying soundtrack, it’s simply not enough to elevate Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs from mediocrity. [Link]
Madea Goes to Jail but Davis Brings the Drama
In light of Oscar nominee Viola Davis' soaring reputation, it's no surprise that the actress takes Tyler Perry's latest tale, Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail, and gives it more dramatic weight than expected. [Link]
Love of Literature Extolled in Inkheart
Inkheart brings Cornelia Funke's much-loved novel to life without losing the glorious detail and character development in the process—an essential for great literature and an oft-neglected feature of many novels-turned-movies. [Link]
Need some family activity ideas?
How about going on a scavenger hunt? Or having your children perform a play they write and act in? Or going on a bike ride that ends in a picnic? Great family fun doesn't need to be expensive. Check out these 20 great family activity ideas that don't require travel or much money.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Which of these activities would you like to do in the next month? [Link]
Dave Says – June 29, 2009
Our utility company offers a level pay option. They average out our bills over the last 24 months … [Link]
Guilty Until Proven Innocent: The Stoning of Soraya M.
Soraya’s only crime was being what was called “an inconvenient wife,” for standing in the way of her Muslim husband’s second marriage. [Link]
Nine Years of Hard Work Paid Off
Business success and financial peace doesn't happen overnight. Joe and his brother have paid the price for many years to be where they are today! [Link]
$1,000 Dust Collector
"I decided to go to a music store just to look around. One hour later, I walked out with a $1,000 viola for $40 monthly payments," Sara said. [Link]
A voluntary dismissal
Dave tells Steve that the bankruptcy goes at the bottom of his debt snowball and he should do a voluntary dismissal. [Link]
The Difference a Dollar Makes
Since you and I don’t have the luxury of living in the Beltway Bubble, let’s talk about some practical things we can do right now to make the most of what we have. [Link]
Will You Have Money to Face an Emergency?
Since the recession began, many homeowners have found out that counting on a home-equity line for emergencies isn't the same as having a cushion of cash savings to fall back on… [Link]
Make Progress One Little Dream at a Time
Do you have big dreams that seem impossibly out of reach? Even small accomplishments done consistently, can lead to great success. [Link]
What's the world's biggest problem?
In the 1930's, when The Times of London asked Britain's leading intellectuals what they thought was the biggest problem in the world, author G.K. Chesterton sent back a quick postcard response saying, "I am." He was on to something. Too often we don't take personal responsibility to say that we are the biggest problems in our marriage, with the way our kids behave, and with how poorly our job is going. Instead, we look to point fingers. But real men take responsibility for their actions and, when things aren't going well, look in the mirror first. That kind of humility is what saves marriages, bonds kids to their fathers, and promotes career advancement. If you are your own biggest problem, you can work to make the right kinds of change.Ever wonder what your kids think of your parenting skills? Find out by asking them to take this quiz.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Would you do me a favor and take this quiz? [Link]
Worship: The Key to Drawing Near to God
If you could attend a first-century church gathering, I think you would say, "Wow, listen to how they speak to God! He seems so real to them! They seem to have such intimacy, such freedom, and such power!" [Link]
Dancing Past Regrets
“If only I hadn’t married him. If only I had just waited on God a little longer. But how could I have known?” The tears spilled out, along with Linda's regrets from the past several years… [Link]
Fatherly Memories Hang upon "The Holding Tree"
When my father died, he didn’t leave an abundance of personal belongings. Through the years our "holding tree" has become even more than a storage place for prayers and memories. That piece of furniture symbolizes a place to hang my heart. [Link]
Teaching about tithing
Should Jill be teaching her child about the tithe, and does the Bible say anything about that regarding children? [Link]
Is God Our Cheerleader, or Are We His?
There seem to be two predominant schools of thought when it comes to how God is active in our spiritual lives, and the core of the difference is who is central in the story – us or Him. [Link]
Jon & Kate Gosselin: A Family Tragedy Times Eight
A Christian perspective on the divorce of Jon & Kate Gosselin. [Link]
A Tortured Existence
So the king is dead. What a sad end to a sad life; a pathetic end to a pathetic life (by which I mean to use pathetic in its true sense as “arousing pity and sympathy). I don’t know that I have ever seen, in one man, such a combination of self-love and self-loathing, shocking narcissism combined with equally shocking self-hatred. Truly Michael Jackson was unparalleled. [Link]
The Case of the Fallen Governor
In the past 24 hours since Governor Mark Sanford admitted his affair, I’ve run the gamut of emotions: sadness, depression, anger, and most of all, bewilderment. [Link]
Christian Marriage: A Union of Three
When we married, there were three of us involved in making our marriage succeed: my husband, myself, and God. [Link]
Online Predators: Separating Fact and Fiction
To help parents get a handle on the issue of online predators, the following is an attempt to separate fact from fiction as it applies to behaviors of online predators. [Link]
Being a Safe Container for Your Mate
Feelings need a safe landing place, and when we try to force them into a crowded space, they spill over recklessly, often creating chaos. [Link]
Honesty is the best policy
Are you miffed at your wife? Do you realize that she may have no idea that she offended you? It is commonly said there are really three views in every circumstance: what you perceived, what the other person perceived, and what actually happened. You see, your wife may have a completely different outlook on that same situation, which is why it pays to be honest with her about your feelings. Seeing her point of view may alleviate some of your stress, while having her recognize your feelings will help her to be more sensitive in that area in the future. Take a minute to take our Marriage Checkup. It will help you with your communication skills.Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Would you like to take a quiz that will help strengthen our marriage? [Link]
Michael Jackson: Blurring the Distinctions
The late Michael Jackson erased the line between insanity and genius—and blurred many other distinctions in the course of his extraordinary career. [Link]
Providing for you
Monica has a BIG misunderstanding about keeping a car loan vs. paying it off. [Link]
From Bankruptcy to Financial Peace
"We went through bankruptcy and were headed in that direction again, until we decided to take charge of our money," Randy said. [Link]
Overspending at the Grocery Store
Do you have money budgeted for food each time you go to the grocery store? If not, Amanda gives you a wake-up call! Read her short stupid tax story now! [Link]
Breakaway Anglicans Ratify Constitution, Elect Archbishop
Anglicans from the United States and Canada this week completed the organization of a new church devoted to traditional Anglican beliefs with the ratification of a constitution and canons. [Link]
Reevangelizing the Church: What is the Gospel?
Now that we are standing at the “crossroads” (having returned to the point of our departure from the truth), we can now look to the ancient paths: the Scriptures. In doing so, we can find the right path and recover the broader meaning of the “good news” or gospel. [Link]
How to Pray for Yourself with Reckless Abandon
You probably pray for other people regularly, but when was the last time you prayed for yourself? It's not selfish; it's essential to a Faith Set Free. [Link]
My Sister's Keeper Explores Life, Death and Moral Dilemma
Filmmakers decided Jodi Picoult’s novel, My Sister’s Keeper, had big-screen potential. They also agreed that the original ending was a little too much. So in a move that’s been widely debated online, the story’s conclusion has been softened a little. [Link]
Faithful Christian Witness Not Part of "Whatever Works"
Whatever Works sums up the philosophy of the film’s main character and of director Woody Allen himself. The filmmaker has lived out a no-judgments view of human nature that is reflected in his film scripts and characters. [Link]
"Away We Go" Makes for a Superficial, Absurd Concoction
Certainly Sam Mendes' direction in Away We Go bears part of the burden of the film's success. And while his guidance is certainly found wanting, the mood Mendes sets largely masks what is a superficial and absurd concoction. [Link]
Growling at God: Why We Struggle to Give
I grew up with a dog that loved to chew rawhide bones. But if I, the giver of the bone, happened to come close to her while she was chewing, she would assert herself with a growl to let me know I better get away… [Link]
Media: raise the bar in your home
Ever heard this question around your house? When your kids want to watch or listen to something and you say "no," they respond, "Well what's wrong with it?" Why not answer their question with this question: "Will watching or listening to this make you a better person?" Many kids have a pretty low standard when it comes to media. Encourage your children to start raising their standards and watch and listen to things that will build them up.For a list of wholesome bands that will raise your children's standards, go here. Then check out Dungy's Diary to see what the coach has to say about the effects of media on kids.Huddle up with your kids tonight and ask: Do you think most of what you listen to and watch teaches you the right things? Why or why not? [Link]
An intense plan
Travis wants to take drastic measures to not have a mortgage … maybe too drastic even for Dave. [Link]
Where's the Choice in This? Funding Population Control
Last March, without fanfare, Congress passed a bill providing $50 million for the United Nations Population Fund. This organization promotes abortion around the globe—including in China. [Link]
You Are No Accident; God Chose You
"My parents didn't plan me. I was an accident no one expected." Some people use this phrase as an excuse for not accepting more responsibility in life, but they fail to remember nothing surprises God. [Link]
Powering Up
Jack Graham explores what it means to "keep in step with the Spirit," and how to tap into His power for living. Along with the fruits of the Spirit, you'll find a spiritual vigor that victoriously displays Christ to the world. [Link]
A Confession of Longing
A confession of longing does not indicate a lack of faith. Many of us who are single encounter this accusation in speaking with those who have forgotten their time of trial—if they knew a time of trial. [Link]
Dating Shouldn't Stop In Marriage
Dating your husband or wife will be very different from dating a potential husband or wife. But it’s just as important… [Link]
"Reality" TV Doesn't Show the Reality of Large Families
Jon & Kate Plus Eight have crept into the culture to the degree that the general population thinks that they are an accurate representation of life in a big family. They are not. [Link]
Reflect On Your Wedding Vows
Our wedding vows were never promises of contentment, but promises of commitment. [Link]
Writing your own family adventure
Here's a creative idea: put together a family storybook. Here's how it works: a family member writes a one-page piece with a cliffhanger ending. The second person picks up from there and writes another page again with a cliffhanger ending. Do this until all members of the family have contributed. Then read the story together and watch the tears of laughter roll! It will weave a tale you can't forget. Here are some story-starters and ideas on how to begin writing your own family adventure.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: If I start a story about our family, will you help me finish it? [Link]
We Paid Off Our Mortgage!
"Our family gazed at the computer screen as we sent our last mortgage payment to the bank. We are still in disbelief at our accomplishment – 100% debt free!" David said. [Link]
Student Loans are Always a Stupid Tax
"Everybody told us that they just took out college loans, so that's what we did," Zoe said. [Link]
Will versus trust
Deanna has a head-to-head question for Dave about a last will and testament and when to have it over a trust. [Link]
The Next Evangelicalism
Is American evangelicalism dead? Not if we can escape the white cultural captivity that now holds the American church and prepare for a multi-racial, multicultural future. [Link]
Even at 500, Calvin isn't Slowing Down
As Reformed churches prepare for the 500th birthday of their spiritual godfather on July 10, increasingly, it is young American evangelicals who are taking up his theological torch. [Link]
Playing Church? Or Worship?
As a little girl, 'playing church' was great fun and a delightful way to pass an afternoon. Playing church is, however, a pathetic and meaningless way to pass a lifetime. [Link]
"Transformers" Sequel Lacks Any Real Human Connection
Just in case you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to watch someone else play videogames for two and a half hours, sitting through Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will definitely satiate your curiosity. [Link]
Jim Caviezel Eschews Feel-Good Fare in The Stoning of Soraya M.
It's summer, but Jim Caviezel thinks now is actually the perfect time to shake things up at a theater near you with The Stoning of Soraya M.—a disturbing, heart-wrenching film that's the polar opposite of feel-good entertainment. [Link]
Q&A with Christy Nockels
Dove Award-winning Christy Nockels (best known for her work with husband Nathan in Watermark) is back with Life Light Up, a solo effort and her first album bowing on sixsteps records. [Link]
How much does your son love you?
Would he give his life for you? Watch this tragic yet triumphant clip from Extreme Home Makeover and ponder what this family has gone through. Then go home, give your son a big hug, and plan an excursion with just you and him. Huddle up and hug each of your kids tonight. Tell them how much you love them. [Link]
Jon and Kate, It's Not Too Late
My message to the Gosselins is this: God can heal the wounds of your past and the wounds of the present in your marriage. [Link]
They're not offering a 401k
I'm only 25 and just took a job with no 401k plan. How do I save for retirement? [Link]
Who Lost the Children?
Francis Schaeffer saw it coming, but, apparently, not enough of us were paying attention… [Link]
In His Image: The Roots of Social Justice
Are human beings made in the image of God? It's not merely an academic or theological question because your value as a human being hinges on how you answer that. [Link]
With Father, Even Through the Valley of Death
After we passed the Vietnam Memorial, I looked down at Abigail, expecting to see a sobbing, troubled, confused child, who would need explanations and parental counseling. Instead, she looked up at me and beamed. [Link]
Changing Your Life for the Better
Are you living aimlessly or with a clear sense of purpose and direction? [Link]
Feeling Poor is Not a Financial Condition
You know that feeling you get when faced with an invitation to join all of your rich co-workers for a chi-chi lunch, and you've got $8.43 to last until payday? You feel poor… but are you really poor? [Link]
Topsy-Turvy Times for Income and Jobs
Unemployment will likely peak in 2010, according to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. [Link]
What One Can Do
By living a godly life, one man – Moses – helped keep two-and-a-half million people from idolatry. How about you? [Link]
The cohabitation mistake
Nearly 60% of high school seniors think it is okay to live with someone before you marry them. And 62% of men and women age 20-29 think that living together before marriage is a good way to avoid an eventual divorce. But according to the report, Psychiatric Disorders in America, annual rates of depression are three times higher for cohabitating couples compared to married couples. Cohabitating men and women reported significantly more alcohol problems than married or single men and women. Cohabitating unions have more disagreements, fight more often, and report lower levels of happiness and fairness than their married counterparts. Intimate partner violence is at least twice as common among cohabitators as it is among married partners. And finally, cohabitating couples who do end up marrying have a higher divorce rate than those couples who did not live together beforehand. Make sure your children understand that cohabitating should never be seen as an option for them. There is nothing like a marital commitment and no such thing as a good "test drive."For the reasons why cohabitation doesn't work, read this. Huddle up and ask your teen tonight: Why is living together with someone before you get married a bad idea? [Link]
How to Unleash The Power of a Praying Church
Jesus has promised that when two or more people gather in His name, He will be there in the midst of them. Praying with others invites God to show up and move in powerful ways in response to your prayers. [Link]
Funding for surgery
Dave doesn't like the strategy that Cathy has for paying for her elective surgery. [Link]
Dave Says – June 22, 2009
Considering that the current economic situation is nearing calamity … [Link]
You Are More Than a Conqueror
It is the single most important event in history since the creation of the world, and your perspective of it determines how you face each day, each trial, each incident of life. [Link]
The Divine Healer
Two powerful images Paul draws in Romans and 1 Corinthians – living sacrifices and temples – indicate that God is concerned about us caring for and protecting our bodies. So why do we tend to discount that? [Link]
It Was For Freedom Christ Has Set Us Free
Yes…as one trained in the discipline of hermeneutics, I know the proper context of Galatians 5:1 is freedom from the law unto grace. But even so, those words of Paul fire the soul of freedom in me. I pray that I will never lose my sense of gratitude that it is for freedom that Christ has set me free. I pray that I will always have the courage to add my voice to the voice of people everywhere when they raise their voice for freedom. [Link]
7 Ways to Save a Marriage on the Brink of Divorce
Here are seven steps that could enhance the possibility of saving a marriage on the brink of divorce. [Link]
Possibly the Greatest Teen Parenting Mistake
Well intentioned parents, doing as they have always done to protect their children when they were young, often circle the wagons and marshal control when their teenager makes a mistake in judgment… [Link]
Decoupling Children and Marriage: The Unhappy Trend
It seems that more and more women have decided to have children while they still can, regardless of their marital status. The result is a culture out of touch with the needs of children. [Link]
A pilot's character
When US Airways pilot, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, splash-landed his jetliner in the Hudson River on January 15th, everyone on board escaped safely. But left in the cargo hold was a book the aviation hero had checked out from his local library.Library officials say Sullenberger asked for an extension and waiver of overdue fees. The librarians say they were struck by Sullenberger's sense of responsibility and did him one better: They're waiving all fees, even lost book fees, and placing a template in the replacement book dedicating it to him.The subject of that lost book? Professional ethics. His plane's passengers were blessed to be in the hands of a man of character and strength.Watch the story of Captain Sullenberger here.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Who do you look up to? Why? [Link]
Reaping the Rewards of Good Decisions
David and Denise made a decision 27 years ago to not live beyond their means. Today they are definitely living like no one else and want to share with you their success! [Link]
Vacuum for Hardwood Floors?
"I am pretty sure any salesman who could sell a vacuum cleaner at that cost to a man with no carpet was eligible for a promotion!" Lee said. [Link]
Dads…Listen to your children
I polled my three sons about my strengths and (gasp) shortcomings as their father. Those knee-buckling results were both sobering and encouraging. [Link]
The spousal IRA
Jim doesn't know if he should tap into his late wife's 401k to pay some expenses. Will he pay for it? [Link]
Here's to You, Faithful Fathers
Having lost my father at an early age, I didn’t know the worth of a father – not until I could see it up close and personal in the joyful well-being of my daughters who are growing up with one now. [Link]
"Year One" Mashes Up Creation, Covenant and Cain and Abel
Year One is not the story of Adam and Eve but of Zed and Oh (Jack Black and Michael Cera, respectively), a primordial tale of male friendship with the requisite fart jokes and sexual boasting that characterizes modern tales in the same genre. [Link]
Sandra Bullock Should've Rejected This "Proposal"
While it's been said there aren't nearly enough good parts for women over 40, surely, there's much better material out there than The Proposal. And if not, then maybe all actors should take a hiatus from romantic comedies until Nancy Meyers or Nora Ephron get around to writing something new. [Link]
Love Doesn't Give up in "Goodbye Solo"
Ramin Bahrani’s Goodbye Solo is a simple tale, quietly told, and one of the best films you’ll ever see. While God is never mentioned during its 90-minute run time, it works as an eloquent parable of God’s love for fallen people. [Link]
It's your day, Dad
"A lot of you know about me as a head coach and dad, but not many of you know how I became the man I am today. It's the result of my amazing father, Wilbur Dungy.My dad made it look so easy. He was wise, he was kind, he was patient, and he was always there for me. It wasn't until I was a father that I realized that what he made look so easy was actually quite a labor of love. Instead of putting himself first, he put his wife and his children first.With Fathers' Day coming this weekend, my dad is on my mind a lot, and so are my own children. I want to be the father they need me to be, but since each of them is unique (as are all children), that can be challenging. One of the benefits of being retired from coaching is that I get to spend more time with my kids, and I'm seeing that the more time I spend with them, the better I know them, and the better able I am to give them the kind of parenting they need. Just like my dad did for me. Read on for more of my story.And, to all you dads out there, Happy Fathers' Day! No matter what your children give you this Sunday, do your best to keep on giving them the gift of your time."Huddle up and tell your child tonight: I am proud of you because of ____, ____, and ____. [Link]
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY [Link]
Honoring Fatherhood
As a wife and mother of two young men who are being raised in an anti-male culture that spews the mantra of radical feminism, I'd like to say a few words to America's dads: We need you. [Link]
A Day at the Races: What Good Dads Do
When my cool-looking gold car with the neat racing stripes came in dead last, I was shocked and crushed. My dad, very handy at building and fixing things, found me moping on the sidelines. "Come with me," he said… [Link]
A Father's Day Retrospective on Submission and Headship
My mother seemed omni-competent and overflowing with love and energy, but when my father came home, she had the extraordinary ability and biblical wisdom and humility to honor him as the head of the home. [Link]
Child support or wasting money?
Lance is getting worried that the money he gives his wife for child support is going elsewhere, and not in a good way. [Link]
Adventures Among the Twitterati — Why Use Twitter?
Can Twitter serve the Kingdom? Well, my answer is evident in my own use of Twitter. I find the advantages to outweigh the dangers by far. [Link]
Investing in Eternity
When money-lovers creep into the pulpit to steal from the treasury, it's an obvious scandal. But isn't the money-lover in the pew—the person who refuses to at all—just as disgraceful? [Link]
What are we Singing: Let it Rise
In the song Let it Rise, certain attributes are heralded to the Lord while others are sung to the King. The Lord and the King are the same, of course, but what makes one distinct from the other? [Link]
How Would Jesus Teach?
Personally, this has been one of the most difficult years of ministry in my eight years of experience. It’s not because of kids’ schedules, a difference of opinions with church leaders or not having enough adult volunteers. Those things always have been issues. What makes this year so different and more difficult for me is that I decided to stop teaching. [Link]
Think You Can or Think You Can't?
Remember the old Henry Ford adage: “Whether you think you can or think you can’t; either way you’re right.” [Link]
Verify and Diversify: Protecting Yourself Against Financial Fraud
A wise investor should adopt the standard President Ronald Reagan used in dealing with the Soviet Union: "Trust, but verify." [Link]
God's Purposes for Our Work
I would like to take a look at three areas where the world's view of work differs from God's view. [Link]
Wide, then deep
If you want to go deeper in your spiritual walk with God, you have to stretch yourself wider. And that means taking a risk. Jump-start your spiritual journey by going overseas for a week to help at an orphanage. Or take your kids along to serve meals at a local homeless shelter. Deep spiritual strength is all about getting out of your comfort zone. Do something risky for someone else and watch your faith grow.Check out Dungy's Diary to hear his take on faith and a time when he got out of his comfort zone.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What's a "risky" thing we can do to help someone else? [Link]
Debt Free and Acting Our Wage
Before getting on a budget and communicating about money, Steven and his wife didn't talk about money. "She did her thing, and I did mine. Living life that way led us and kept us in debt," he said. [Link]
Carnival Mistakes
It was Teresa's first time at a carnival, and she and her husband weren't prepared for what they encountered. It wasn't just a carefree, relaxing time! [Link]
Cut your lifestyle
Kevin and his wife make decent money and wonder what's the best way to use their big shovel to beat their debt! [Link]
Are You Standing Firm?
True faith doesn’t allow any power to be given to doubt, despair, hopelessness, disbelief, impatience, or diffidence. True faith doesn’t change by public opinion or by consensus. True faith listens for the voice of God and lives by conviction. [Link]
Talking Jesus: Obama Vs. Bush
President Obama invokes Jesus's name more frequently than did former President Bush, a Politico article notes, but most of the media seems to be ignoring this fact. Why? [Link]
A Matter of (Gay) Pride?
Can we find pride in what we know to be sin? That question contains its own answer. There is no way that biblical Christians committed can join in the chorus of gay pride. [Link]
Who Speaks for American Muslims? Not CAIR
CAIR is the unofficial voice of Islam in America, mostly because government officials and the media treat it as such. This leads to the question: Should they ? [Link]
Healing From An Affair
Susan contained her venomous anger most of the time, but on occasion she spewed forth hostile, derogatory names toward the woman with whom Charles had the affair… [Link]
Praying as a Family
We all know, at least in our heads, that prayer is important. Yet how many of us honestly believe that our prayers, the simple prayers of our far-from-perfect family, can really make a difference? [Link]
Are You Disconnected from Your Spouse?
I have come to believe that one primary problem sits at the root of most couples who feel disengaged. I call it the “full plate” phenomenon. [Link]
A game of hope
What happened at perhaps the most inspirational football game of 2008? Take a look at this amazing video, share it with your kids, and marvel about sportsmanship at its best.Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What did you think of this story? [Link]
Trying to help Dad
Jeremy can't be an enabler and continuously bail his father out of financial problems. Dave says there's a lesson for dad to learn. [Link]
Courageous Faith in Action
Indignation fuels our capacity for a more muscular and courageous faith, and brings us into a deeper relationship with God. [Link]
Grace Alone
Soli Deo gloria is the motto that grew out of the Protestant Reformation and was used on every composition by Johann Sebastian Bach. He affixed the initials SDG at the bottom of each manuscript to communicate the idea that it is God and God alone who is to receive the glory for the wonders of His work of creation and of redemption. At the heart of the sixteenth-century controversy over salvation was the issue of grace. [Link]
Father's Day and a New Angle on the Prodigal Son
Perhaps we miss the central lesson of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Maybe we'd gain deeper insight if we referred to it as the Parable of the Incredible Father. [Link]
Where's Our Hope?
A couple of months ago I decided to give up “information” (i.e. television, news, etc.) for a week. What I rediscovered was that my hope is in Jesus and the knowledge I have in Him and the wisdom he provides to those who believe. [Link]
Father-Daughter Love Story Explored in Imagine That
In Imagine That, Eddie Murphy portrays a father looking for a clue on how to reconnect with his daughter. Just in time for Father's Day, this movie is a surprisingly nuanced look at the joys of fatherhood and the blessings of children. [Link]
'Up'-Lifting: Pixar Reminds Us What Matters
Take your family to see Up. It’ll help all of you see adventure—and human relationships—in a whole new light. [Link]
Pop Goes Yellow Cavalier on Self-Titled EP
Yellow Cavalier is filling the void. With a dazzling debut EP, the tidy quartet is marketing themselves as not just an answer to the boy band drought, but rather an active response to a rich legacy of “ccm” pop/rock. [Link]
Team up for strong support
Feeling overwhelmed? Have you tried accountability? This is a word that's been used quite a bit lately as some major corporations have been accused of fudging numbers to pad their bottom lines. Accountability is crucial in the business world. But it's also crucial in family life. Not only should fathers be accountable to their wives and kids, but also to a couple of close male friends. It's a great idea to set aside a little time during the week, say an early morning breakfast, to meet with a couple of other like-minded guys and discuss topics like faith, family, job stress and life goals. Good friends can offer you much needed encouragement and perspective. So seriously consider making yourself accountable… it's a return on investment you'll never regret. Watch this video to learn more about starting an accountability relationship with some close friends. Want a good book to discuss with the guys?Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you think it's a good idea for me to consistently meet a couple other guys for us to encourage each other? [Link]
Dave Says – June 15, 2009
I have an opportunity to buy a landscaping business. The current owner said he made $250,000 last year … [Link]
It's Never Too Late!
Whether you're in your 20s or 50s, now is the time to get started on your Total Money Makeover! Chris and his wife didn't let their age or anything else stop them from becoming debt free! [Link]
I Lost a Friend … and Money
Deborah learned the hard way why it's not smart to loan a friend money for a business … especially on your credit card! Learn from her mistake now… [Link]
The credit piggyback
Dave can't even begin to fully explain how bad of an idea piggy-backing a credit history is. [Link]
Contrasting Fear with a Sound Mind and a Powerful Love
Fear causes us to trade power for an overwhelming, pervasive feeling of powerlessness. But at the beginning of Paul's Second Letter to Timothy, we learn the truth about it. [Link]
Producing a Comeback Church
How did 324 churches start growing again after experiencing a pattern of plateau or decline? According to one study, some factors were perceived to be more important than others by comeback leaders. [Link]
Strengthen Your Own Soul to Lead Others
It's the crucible of ministry: in the heat of working hard to lead other people to God, are you missing His presence yourself? [Link]
John Calvin: Pilgrim and Pastor
There are not too many men whose five hundredth birthday is a cause for remembrance, not to mention celebration. Yet here we are, five hundred years after the birth of John Calvin, witnessing widespread celebration of his birth. This year we see many conferences dedicated to understanding Calvin’s impact on the church and on society, even centuries later, and we see the publication of many books looking at the man and his theology. [Link]
Hope for Your Struggling Teenager
When you’re struggling with a wayward teenager, it can seem as though your world is being turned upside down… [Link]
The Perfect Vision of Marriage
A successful marriage requires a vision that is larger than itself, a vision that transcends its earthly limitations, confusion, and setbacks. [Link]
The Truth of Who We Are – Part 1
May we be encouraged to love ourselves as we are, and where we are–even as we work to improve. If we rest content in the Lord's love for us and are still single, then we can put aside thoughts of failure. Success is ours. Never mind that we are single. [Link]
Framing a great memory
Has your elementary-age child done something particularly well recently? Maybe they managed all A's on their report card, excelled at their piano recital, took on some extra chores, or maybe it was something nice they did for their brother or sister. If so, why don't you reward them with a Certificate of Achievement? It's a simple way to make your child feel special. Download the certificate here, print it out, and fill in your child's name, and what they did that was so special. Then purchase an inexpensive frame or make one yourself. After you present the certificate to your child in front of the entire family, walk with your child to their room and hang it on their wall. Every time they look at it, they'll remember what they did well and how you went out of your way to recognize them.Huddle up and tell your child tonight: I am proud of you because of ____, ____, and ____. [Link]
An uninsurable mom
Denise's elderly mother has little income, bad health, and no life insurance, so she needs help with how to insure for her death. [Link]
Does Your House Have to be Clean?
Last week we had friends over for dinner, and I didn’t clean my house. It was an internal war inside – do I vacuum, dust, clean – or just let it go? [Link]
The President in Cairo: Confusing Past and Present
It’s true that some Islamic societies of the past have embodied religious tolerance. But you would be hard-pressed to find another instance of this kind in the Islamic world today. [Link]
Assisted Suicide Endangers All of Us
Last week in Washington state a 66-year-old woman with terminal cancer made history as the first person to undergo physician-assisted suicide since that state legalized the practice. What does this mean for the rest of us? [Link]
A Major Force in Education — Homeschooling in America
A new review from the U.S. Department of Education offers some real surprises and raises some new questions. [Link]
"Imagine That" … Murphy Makes an Enjoyable Family Film
Eddie Murphy’s previous efforts in family films have left a lot to be desired: stories really worth telling and a heartbeat beyond those gimmicky attempted laughs. Fortunately for Murphy, Imagine That has both in spades. [Link]
Sub-Par Sub Car Drama in "Taking of Pelham 1 2 3"
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, a remake of a 1974 film that starred Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw, has two solid lead performances from Denzel Washington and John Travolta but suffers from certain excesses common to modern-day action films. [Link]
"Food, Inc." Gives New Meaning to Watching What We Eat
Many squeamish moments aside, Food, Inc. is still a great example of informative, compelling filmmaking, aside from those occasional diversions into boring pie chart territory à la An Inconvenient Truth. [Link]
You Can Do It!
What's on your children's reading list this summer? How about a book that will encourage and inspire them to pursue their dreams? When coach Tony Dungy was a boy, his father encouraged him to dream, and dream big. In his children's book, You Can Do It!, Dungy tells the story of what happens when a little boy finds the faith to follow his dream. So find out what your child is dreaming about, and when your child discovers something that lights a fire in their spirit, help them to pursue it this summer … and become their biggest fan. Order a copy of You Can Do It! here. Then check out Dungy's Diary to hear the story behind the story of You Can Do It! Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: What do you think your special gift is? If you're not sure, would you like to try to figure it out this summer? [Link]
Debt Free at Age 53
"When I turned 50, I told her that I wanted to be debt free by the time I turned 55. At the time, I think [my wife] dismissed it as a lofty dream…" Tom said. [Link]
I Fell for a Free "Earn Money on the Internet" Offer
"A month later, I found out they sold my personal information, along with my credit card number, to another company…" Denise said. [Link]
What happens to the college money?
What happens to education savings if the child decides to not get an education? [Link]
Divorce through a Child's Eyes: Between Two Worlds
Is it better to work through a tough marriage or to relieve your children of the constant marital strife with a divorce? Elizabeth Marquardt examines this modern dilemma in her book, Between Two Worlds: The Inner Lives of Children of Divorce. [Link]
13 Ways to Pursue More of Jesus
The more you have of Jesus in your life, the better your life will be. Here are practical suggestions for Pursuing More of Jesus. [Link]
Are We Now Immune to Blessing?
If life is like a baseball game, what do you think – should we attend expecting or not expecting a foul ball to come our way? [Link]
Dealing with Relapses
Relapses are a part of life but they don’t have to be a permanent fixture of our lives… [Link]
To the Class of 2009
You stand upon the precipice of adult independence—preparing to cross over the Jordan, as it were, to take possession of the land. For those who plan to continue their formal education, I would say this: determine now what the purpose of what your education will be. You can, like the world, pursue education as merely a means to an end—in other words: a job. However, this is a shallow purpose, which tends to reduce the object of life to acquiring personal peace through financial security. Thus one’s education becomes merely a means to one’s own ends. However, the goal of learning, wrote the great Christian poet Milton, “is to repair the ruins of our first parents.” [Link]
Rethinking Retirement
Finishing life to the glory of Christ means resolutely resisting the typical American dream of retirement. It means being so satisfied with all that God promises to be for us in Christ that we are set free from the cravings that create so much emptiness and uselessness in retirement.