I’m sitting in a restaurant with our church youth group. Suddenly, all the girls get up and go to the restroom together. A mischievous light gleams in the boys’ eyes. Whispers ensue. When the girls return, all the guys get up and go to the restroom at the same time. It’s been years since this hilarious episode took place, but it still serves as a great example of male and female uniqueness when it comes to how we do friendship. Female friendships have particular strengths and weaknesses. Here are some qualities I appreciate about the women I consider to be my true friends: Continue Reading
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What to Teach Your Children about Halloween
Yup, I’m about to go there … “To trick-or-treat, or not to trick-or-treat, that is the question…” To answer this controversial question, let’s look at holidays in general. Why do we celebrate certain occasions? American holidays like Memorial Day and Mother’s Day spring from historical events and the desire to honor people. Other holidays go back further to distant lands and cultures. Christmas, birthdays and Halloween all have roots in ancient pagan practices. Christians began subtracting certain elements and adding others as a way of redeeming those occasions. We’ve done Continue Reading
What to Teach Your Kids about Marriage in a World that Doesn’t Get It
Remember the wedding scene in the movie Princess Bride, when the priest with the speech impediment waxes eloquent about “Mauwage?” Much is being tossed about on the subject these days. I’m not sure if “mauwage” has ever been more misunderstood or devalued than it is today. Your children are facing a world that’s considerably different than it was even a generation ago. In our culture, even for those who see themselves as believers, it’s considered okay for couples to simply co-habitate or co-parent. Since marriage is viewed as an optional commitment between two people who love Continue Reading
Does My Parenting Really Matter in a World Gone Mad?
Raising kids is hard work, right? The challenges are many; the rewards are distant, and half the people around you don't get why you live the way you do. Meantime, you're slogging it out in the trenches, trying to retain your sanity and questioning whether your efforts make any difference. May I encourage you? The enemy of your soul wants you to believe that your parenting isn't significant. He's selling you a lie that your hard work is for nothing. There's a reason Satan wants you to give up and settle for mediocrity. There's a reason he wants to steal your vision to Continue Reading