Articles
Your Home: A Lighthouse
Have you ever been out on a large lake, or even the ocean, at night? Over the centuries, thousands of ships have crashed and sunk during the night because they hit rocks or sandbars which they could…
Does Following Jesus Mean Leaving Family Behind?
Hate your family? Did Jesus teach that following Him meant leaving family behind? Beyond that, didn’t Jesus say that loving Him fully means hating our family members? Here is what Jesus said: Now…
Thanksgiving is Needed Right Now
As we prepare for Thanksgiving, I am reminded of the first thanksgiving. A small church had relocated their church family from England, to Holland, and then finally to the new world. They were…
Healing Through Listening
The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. — Proverbs 15:31 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. — Proverbs 23:22 I…
Repentance Continues with a Change in Behavior
True repentance does not stop with a change in our thinking, but continues with a change in our behavior. We have all experienced people in our lives who apologize to us over and over for the same…
God’s Grand Vision for Your Family
Imagine that you are out shopping and a man comes walking to- ward you with a video camera and a microphone. He is doing person-on-the-street interviews. The microphone is thrust in your direction…
Planting Seeds of Bitterness
In Hebrews 12:14–15, God tells us, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root…
A Vision of God’s Purpose for Your Family
When it comes to parenting, sometimes it feels as if just surviving each day is a success. We can get so caught up in the demands of the day, running our crazy family schedules, that we give little…
Helping Families Through COVID-19 & Beyond
The COVID-19 pandemic has put extraordinary pressures on marriages and families. I was speaking to a family attorney yesterday who told me that he has received more calls to initiate divorce…
Healing Through Repentance
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? — Romans 2:4 Family conflicts start very early in…
3 Phases of Forgiveness
Forgiveness and reconciliation is a three-phase process, and I will summarize it here. I don’t want you to be overwhelmed. What can be written in just a few pages may take years for the Lord to…
Pray for Your Own Heart
When I am in the middle of a blowout conflict with one of my sons, I am squarely focused on his disobedience, his bad attitude, his irresponsibility. Obviously, the entire reason why we are in this…
How Many Times Do I Need to Forgive?
When a family member does something that hurts our feelings a couple of times, it may not feel like a big deal to forgive them. What if they do it ten times? Fifty times? Now it is a different…
The Crucible of Family Relationships
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry…
Every Family Is Hurting
Every family experiences conflict, hurt, and brokenness. There are two big reasons for this reality. First, each of us struggles with sin and character problems. Therefore, when multiple people with…
How to Talk with Your Kids About the Coronavirus
All of our lives are being impacted by the Covid19 virus. Don’t miss this opportunity to talk with your children. Here are seven things your kids and grandkids need to know. 1. God is in…
Your Family & the Glory of God
Perhaps you have heard the phrase, “only for the glory of God.” This is a theme that runs through the entire Bible, that all of creation exists for His glory. If this is true, then God…
Encouragement for Teens: Living for Christ at Home, Part 1
Do you ever feel like it is easier to be a Christian outside of your home than with your own family? For example, why is it so much easier to forgive a friend who has hurt me than to forgive my own…
Impressing a Child’s Heart
When I was a youth pastor, most of the students I worked with could not tell me what their fathers did for a living. If they were lucky, they could tell me the name of the company their dad worked…
The Power of God’s Word
There are many places in God’s Word where He teaches us that the Bible is not only true, but sufficient. One of these texts is found in 2 Timothy 3:14-17. Paul writes this to Timothy, who was a…
What Is a Limited Church?
During my twenty years in full-time ministry, eighteen as a pastor, and two as a missionary, I have lost track of the number of times I have heard words like these from church leaders: I feel…
What Fills Your Family Calendar
As parents, we are frequently oblivious to something that dramatically impacts the faith and character of our children—our daily family schedule. Consider this question. When your sons or daughters…
Pluralism & Relativism
The past century has seen a radical and destructive shift in how people think. The shift progressed with each generation, and two key words capture this thought revolution—pluralism and relativism….
The Power of Servant Leadership
This is the fourth and final post in a series by Lissy Rienow that will address how, as teenagers, we can learn to be Christians with our families. Read the other posts here: 1. “Encouragement…
Give Me Your Heart
This is the third in a series of posts by Lissy Rienow that will address how, as teenagers, we can learn to be Christians with our families. Read the other posts here: 1. “Encouragement for…