Search Results for: blog hard truths

When Teens Don’t Share Everything

Some recent events that have unfolded in my home have opened my eyes to some truths that while they may not be easy to accept, they are part of raising teenagers. It is the belief that your teens will share everything going on in their world. I guess I really thought I had the market on this one but apparently not. One of the things that both my husband and I have strived to do in our home is to create a safe, secure refuge. That means our children can trust us, even when it means telling us the hard … Continue reading →

Good Reason to Take Notice

When God gives commands there is a good reason for them. Yet how easily people ignore God and what He has said and instructed. God through Moses gave Israel statutes and commands before they entered the Promised Land. He gave them these instructions, so they would know how to live in the land. He gives us commands and instructions, so we know how to live. We find them in the Bible. Deuteronomy 4:2 is very clear about not adding to or taking away from what God has said. This is as important for us today as it was for the … Continue reading →

Listening to God

The other day we looked at some helpful verses from Isaiah and what God says about the way to be saved, Isaiah 30:11. The key here is, like Israel, we need to be willing. They wanted to do their own thing, instead of listening to God, so He let them. It shows us the danger of switching off from God, because when we do that things don’t work out as we plan. Meanwhile God wanted and longed to be gracious, Isaiah 30:18. So often we too shut God out when He longs to be gracious to us. Yet when His … Continue reading →

God’s Warnings

Sometimes as we read the bible or as we hear about people and the choices they make, we can be wonder. Often times it happens that God has given strict instructions about something and the person has ignored it. Eve and Adam in the Garden of Eden is one example that had serious consequences. Solomon was another. How can they be so stupid to ignore God’s warnings like that? I thought that this week, when I was reading about Samson in Judges 15, 16. God had provided for and given victory to Samson when the Philistines sought to do him … Continue reading →

To Leave or Not to Leave

In the early years of our marriage, the threat of leaving became our default position in a distressing number of our fights. For me, the devastation of feeling totally misunderstood, my efforts unappreciated, and my actions unfairly judged left me thinking that there was only one way out, and that way was out the door. Over the years, however, I have come to understand a few things: 1) There is hardly ever just one way out; 2) If you are truly committed to the marriage, leaving is not an option; and, 3) Control is at the root of most conflict. … Continue reading →

Forgetting about God

As Israel was preparing to head towards the new land Moses gave them God’s commandments. You can find these in Deuteronomy 5. Deuteronomy 6 expands on these commandments but it is not just for the people of Israel but all of us who profess to follow the Lord God. Some points to note are that keeping God’s commands would result in a long, full life and great blessing. verses 2-3. However Israel was not only to keep God’s commands but to teach them, verse 7. They were to be an integral part of everyday life. God and his commands were … Continue reading →

Christians and Depression

Christians should never suffer depression. That’s a common attitude from some people and it is decidedly wrong. People who claim Christians should never suffer depression have failed to understand a basic truth, that it is not something the person chooses to do. It is not showing a lack of faith or that they are lacking in their spiritual life. Depression is quite simply a medical condition like asthma or any other sickness. We don’t tell the person who has asthma it is because they don’t have enough faith or they are lacking in their spiritual life or if they prayed … Continue reading →

How Much Honesty in Marriage?

How much honesty should there be in a marriage? That’s one topic that has come up a couple of times recently in the forums and on comments on blogs. One of our families.com members found out that her husband already had a child from another relationship while they were already together. Now she feels betrayed and wonders if she can trust her husband any more and whether her marriage has a future. This is one of those things that should have been mentioned well before the marriage. It is understandable too, that the person, whose spouse has been unfaithful and … Continue reading →

Expectations

One of the biggest problems in society at present is that people want everything now. It’s this kind of thinking that gets people to run up massive credit debts and start a spiral of debt they cannot repay. It’s this type of thinking that sees a couple take out a mortgage for a house that is over and above what they can afford or need. Sometimes it’s no different in the Christian life. We pray and expect God to answer when we want it. In other words, NOW. But God doesn’t always work that way. The truth is that we … Continue reading →

Author Interview: Haley Hatch Freeman, Part Two

We are joined by Haley Hatch Freeman, author of the new book “A Future for Tomorrow.” Yesterday we began our conversation with Haley and she told us of her struggles with anorexia as a teenager which she documents in her book. We continue our chat today. Haley, thank you for being here with us today. One section of “A Future for Tomorrow” deals with a period of time during your recovery when you had to deal with dark influences. How did you come to peace with that in such a way that you were able to share it with others … Continue reading →