We’ve all heard the horror stories. Boys in the back of a junior high school bus showing each other nude pictures of girls in their class. Girls stalked by much older men who pretend to be their “nice friend.” Kids committing suicide over what’s shared via smart phones. Those are just a few examples of the dangers teens can encounter through the little electronic doorway that fits in the palm of their hand. Many teens own a smart phone. Those who don’t own one generally want what their peers have, and moms and dads don’t enjoy being the bad guy. What’s a parent to do? Is Continue Reading
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Why My Definition of “Hater” is Changing (and Yours Might, Too)
I was trying to finish a task at work, but my introvert brain kept getting derailed by a phone conversation in the adjoining office. I closed my door so I could concentrate. This wasn’t the first time I’d done this, which is why my extroverted co-worker remarked, “You close your door because you hate me!” Somehow, her joke didn’t come across as humorous. If I need space, I “hate” you? Really? Like that scene at the office, the label “hater” in our politically correct culture is thrown around far too quickly—ironically, often by folks who otherwise object to name-calling. What Continue Reading
What We Need Most when Pain Foils our Plans
With my part-time teaching job, Christmas break should have been the perfect time for me to set some goals for 2019. That didn’t happen. I’ve done this goal-setting thing for the last several years—taking a look at various categories (physical, spiritual, financial and so on)—and forecasting what I’d like to achieve or improve in different areas. Goal-setting is not a bad thing. It can help with focus and intentionality. That said, life has a way of turning our best-laid plans upside-down, sometimes in subtle but powerful ways. So this New Year, I’m in that foggy, food-hangover, Continue Reading
The Surprising Truth about God’s Favor, as Revealed by Mary’s Story
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, "the favor of God?" What thoughts do you associate with the concept of "blessing?" It's tempting to define these concepts in modern Western terms--in other words, we equate "favor" and "blessing" with more money, pleasure and comfort, or honor in the eyes of others, or freedom from hardship and suffering. Turns out, the favor of God may not look like that at all. It's much bigger than the trifles we enjoy on earth. Mary, mother of Jesus, offers us a beautiful example of what it means to receive the favor of God. Read the full Continue Reading