So where’s the rule book for handling these moments of home-ministry conflict? What should you do when your kids are sick the week of the women’s retreat? When someone in your small group calls you in desperation while your in-laws are in town? When your pastor asks you to take on another task when you’re barely making it through the laundry?
Read MoreNot every adopted child will grieve the loss of their biological family the same way, but every adopted child will feel this loss. And it doesn’t serve them well for us to ignore that reality.
Read MoreThere is no one “right” way to do Christmas. But whatever you do, be intentional. Don’t just do what the world does or what your family did growing up. Ask yourself, how can I give gifts to the glory of God?
Read MoreThe beginning of the book of Exodus is hard not to enjoy. With the burning bush, the Nile turning to blood, the dramatic exit through the Red Sea, what's not to love? With so many big events, it's easy to miss the details. Details like the fact that most of the main characters in the first two chapters are women. Each one of them acts in the interest of children, even when their own safety is threatened. Without these five women, Israel's story of redemption doesn't happen. Without these five women, Moses doesn't survive the infanticide occurring in Egypt, and there is no leader to be God's instrument of deliverance.
Read MoreAt the first snow of manna in Exodus 16, God introduces His people to a Sabbath day. Two-and-a-half months after leaving their former slave drivers, God's people hear an odd command from their new Master—rest. Though we might not be slaves, our present culture prizes productivity so highly that taking a day off also sounds absurd. "Maybe God meant take a rest from my normal work and do a different kind of work. I can't just waste time."
To be honest, this is exactly how I think. If making to-do lists was a viable hobby, it would be mine. I treat productivity like a sport, seeing if I can beat my previous record of tasks completed in one day. Sad but true.
Read MoreI see my generation on the other side of their childhood dreams, entering their 30s somewhat disillusioned. For some working 9-to-5 jobs, the greatest success is keeping the bills paid and the boss happy. For many moms, the biggest accomplishment of the week is a clean kitchen and 15 minutes of Bible reading. Others did some "great" things for God right after college... 2 year mission trips, interning in a ministry, striving to hit it big as a [fill-in-the-blank-with-ministry-job], but seeing that work dwindle they are wondering what's next. So much for changing the world for Jesus. Spiritual gifts and noble desires sit on the shelf unused, itching to find an outlet to prove their effectiveness while whispers of what could have been hang in the air.
I want to pose a very important question. A question my soul needs answered every day. Does God want us to do something great for Him?
Read MoreI have often found that there are 2 specific topics that come up a lot as I meet with young wives and felt were worth tackling: birth control and child care.
These are sensitive topics for sure, controversial even, and there are many factors that play into every individual’s decision. But too often, these decisions are made from attitudes and motives that have been shaped by our culture, instead of the Word of God.
Read MoreAll of us at all seasons of life encounter children. They might be your own, or a friends’, or nieces and nephews, or your neighbor’s kids. So it is important that we have a Biblically-informed view on them.
Read MoreWhat does the Bible have to say about commitments outside the home? This is not a black and white issue and therefore requires some discussion. We cannot and must not make rules where God has not made them. And no where in the Bible does it say that a woman cannot work and earn money. But God has clearly ordained for women to be the overseers of the home. With that in mind, let's look at a few passages of the Bible for some guidance.
Read MoreOur influence at home must be primarily for those who live there, but it does not stop there. When used strategically, our homes can be one of the most effective places of ministry for the advancement of God’s Kingdom. How? Through hospitality.
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