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What a funny and creative face paint job

Posted on December 15, 2011 by in Life

What is the primary role of a husband in marriage? (a new poll)

Posted on September 6, 2011 by in Marriage, Poll of the week

The role of a husband in marriage is important, but what do you think is the primary role of a husband? Read Ephesians 5:21-33 before you answer this week’s poll question (New Living Translation):

Spirit-Guided Relationships: Wives and Husbands

21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.t 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body.

31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”t 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Now let me know what you think by answering this week’s poll. Also, please leave any comments you might have. I always love a good discussion!

How to be happy

Posted on April 13, 2011 by in Life

One of the issues we find over and over again in our Marriage Restoration Intensive program is that individuals in marriage really, really want to be happy. The problem is, however, that they tend to believe happiness is somewhere out there, and more than likely, not in their marriage. They believe if they could only get out of their marriage, they could finally find happiness.

This issue of happiness comes up so often that we were finally forced into developing a theory on happiness. We’re not the first to do this, of course, but we do like on the firm statement we landed on. Are you ready for it?

You can never find happiness, you have to BE happy.

What do you think of this quote? Is happiness something you can discover with someone or something? Or is happiness something you need to choose? Is happiness a circumstance or a decision? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this idea, so and let us have it whether you’re for or against the idea!

The power and blessing of humility

Posted on April 7, 2011 by in Life

I can’t write it enough about humility! Humility starts all of the good things that God has in store for us! When you begin to realize that humility is really the “fear of the Lord”, or acknowledging the awesomeness of God and His creation, you begin to experience the many promises of God. The wages of humility are “riches, honor, and long life.” Proverbs 22:4 NLT One of my friends on Facebook, had this to say about humility or the fear of the Lord, “Gary, that’s awesome. It’s been the “fear of the Lord” that has kept me wanting more and more of Him, and less of me. Praise God!” What a gift! The more we realize how much we need Him, the more He blesses us!

Leave a comment and let me know (and others) how humility has blessed you through your life.

My trials are better than my blessings!

Posted on March 30, 2011 by in Life

It came to me this morning while on my treadmill.  I have been trying to figure out what do for some major trials I’m facing.  Then, this truth hit me!  I actually get more blessing,s and greater good, from my trials than from the good things that are happening to me. The old song, “Count your blessings – name them one by one,” works for both the good happening to me and the “bad” things hitting me each day.

I got excited and starting thinking about what I get each day from the so called “bad” things happening:

  • I get BLESSED by God when I rejoice in my trials.  Matthew 5:10,11
  • I get more of God’s love and power (His Kingdom) I Thess. 5:16-18
  • I get more good because I love Him (Rom. 8:28)
  • The good things keep bringing me more good things, and not only to me, but to my loved ones as well!

At 70 years of age, I am realizing that the good things happening to me each day are typically good for about a day, but my trials keep the good coming to me for a life time. So what are your trials? What trials have taught you the greatest lessons and given you, ultimately, the biggest blessing? Let me know by clicking here and sharing your stories with me!

The point of Christ’s love!

Posted on March 17, 2011 by in Life

1 Thessalonians 4: 9-11 (New Living Translation)

9 For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. 10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. 11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”

Here’s how easy it is to be saved by God, and please feel free to debate this with me on our site if you want.  It’s very simple. Romans 10: 9 – 10 summarizes it best: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.” There’s only three critical things to understand about God’s salvation: 1. Accept that Christ is my boss.  2. Believe that God sent Christ to die for me on the cross.  3. Believe God raised Christ from death by His power. If I choose to believe in these three basic things, I am saved!

I hope you pass this post along to a friend or relative who needs to hear the message of Christ!

Five amazing promises from Jesus

Posted on March 1, 2011 by in Life, Parenting

I love the teachings of Jesus and He tells us five powerful, life changing, things about Himself. Now these five are not the only important things Jesus said, but they are pretty amazing!
  1. He is the living bread that will give life forever. Mankind will never again hunger for truth because His truth is so extremely satisfying. (John 6: 56-58)
  2. He is the living water, the life giving water where mankind will never thirst again for more than He is.
  3. He is the light of the world, the light of life. When we know His words and they live within us through thinking about the meaning of His teaching all day, everyday, we will no longer walk in darkness.
  4. He is the good shepherd, the shepherd who gives his life for the sheep. Whether he is water, bread, light, or any metaphor we choose, he is the true source and giver of eternal life! He is the source of true and authentic human existence.
  5. He is the “good news” for all mankind. The news that men and women can be set free to have God’s peace and love and power!
How have any of these five amazing promises of Jesus changed your life or impacted you in a real and powerful way? Let me know and I will choose one an entry to receive a signed copy of my Guarding Your Child’s Heart.
Fill out the following form to get entered to win a copy of Guarding Your Child’s Heart.
Just fill out this form to get entered to win! Don't forget to leave a comment on the post as well.
Now, feel free to leave a comment about how any of these five promises have impacted you.  Who knows, maybe your comment will lead someone to the same kind of relationship with Jesus that you have!

What has you stressed?

Posted on February 2, 2011 by in Life, Poll of the week

Stress causes many of our sicknesses! Stress is the “gap” between what you expect and what you are getting with each expectation from all of life. Your assignment today: write down your main expectations of self, others, money, work, etc. Then, write down from 0 to 10 how close or far you are from the expectation. Your stress level is the gap. If you have a lot of big gaps, you are one stressed out person.

So what has you stressed out?