Our children are some of the best gifts we will ever receive … but we often miss the joy that could be ours as parents. As I tried on clothes in the changing rooms of a department store recently, I couldn’t help but tune in to the conversation between a mother and little girl in a nearby stall. “Oh, come on. Stop doing that…I’m not going to dress you for the rest of your life, you know. Don’t do it that way. Oh, hurry up. I told you, stop that!” were some tidbits from Mom. Predictably, the little girl’s replies to her irate mother became more defensive and high-pitched every minute. “I’m Continue Reading
Search Results for: Why Giving Up
4 Ways to Filter Prophetic Words and Stay on Mission
It's an election year. Predictions and emotions abound in terms of what November's outcome will be. Although a plethora of predictive prophetic messages can be found regarding the election, such messages don’t interest me much. Here are three reasons why: The main purpose of the gift of prophecy is to strengthen, encourage, and comfort Christians as they face trials and difficulties together (1 Cor. 14:3). The main job description of a prophet is to equip followers of Jesus for ministry and help them unite and mature (Eph. 4:11). Predictions of the future are not a main theme Continue Reading
How the Myth of a “Jezebel Spirit” Hurts Women
It’s making the rounds on social media again. If you’ve been around Charismatic/Pentecostal circles long enough, you’ve no doubt heard of an evil spiritual entity called the "Jezebel spirit.” Stories circulate about the damage this demon has done to churches and individuals. Numerous books and sermons pontificate about it. Formerly disgraced pastor Mark Driscoll rebuked what he called the "Jezebel spirit" at a recent men's conference. Not coincidentally, Driscoll is marketing a book on the topic. The notion of a Jezebel spirit has circulated for decades. It began as a means for Continue Reading
How your family can thrive as a result of this pandemic
Once upon a time, the happy mother of three active, young boys planned out her personal dream. I’ll send them off to school and write best-selling books while they're out of my hair, she thought. Then when they come home, I’ll serve them milk and cookies and ask how their day went. I’ll be their hero, plus I’ll accomplish my goals! The young mom’s lovely notion turned out to be a fantasy. What really happened was fourteen years of home schooling. Fourteen years of studying curriculum instead of attending writers’ conferences. Fourteen years of teaching and grading and Continue Reading