I was sitting in my office, talking with a woman whose marriage was a wreck. Her husband was lying. Their daily conversations often spiraled into nuclear war. Her resentment was growing. There was no peace, and she was holding off the possibility of divorce, but you could sense it hovering like a dark cloud. At one point she said to me, “When we were dating, he never initiated spiritual...
A number of years ago, to my wife’s great delight, her father gave her the family heirloom photo albums. We’re not talking snapshots of Disney World held in vinyl pages. These hundred-year-old photos were carefully bound in two deeply embossed gilded leather albums. Even guests who had parted the pages of these regal books had stood in awe of the history represented in the sepia tone portraits of...
Take care of your body as if you were going to live forever;and take care of your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow. Augustine Embracing the idea of self-care can feel uncomfortable. The word isn’t found in Scripture, and some Christians may wonder if self-care is contrary to a sacrificial life. Doesn’t the Bible call us to put the care of others first? Won’t attending to self-care lead...
When life gets busy and some days are hard, it is possible to find Jesus in the small, everyday things all around us. In Finding Jesus on Upside Down Days: Family Devotions from the Barnyard, Jill Miller gives heartwarming, intimate glimpses of her life on the farm. As Miller cares for and enjoys her animals’ antics, God takes her upside-down soul and sets it right-side up. Designed as a 52-week...
New Year’s Eve will be here before you know. For our family, and maybe yours, it can feel tricky to find fun ways to celebrate with kids ranging in age from 1 to 13. Thanks to a fun hour brainstorming and Googling, I’ve compiled a list of 10 family activities below. I hope they will help make the celebration more memorable for your family. 1. Make your own confetti poppers! All you need is a...
