There’s something wonderful you can do for your marriage that will feed and protect it. I’m not talking about reading a marriage book, attending a marriage seminar, or even praying together. Those are all good things, but they’ve been mentioned many times before. This is something different. The gift you can give to your marriage […]
Read More
My friend Kevin Harney got me to do something I’ve never done before. I was quite embarrassed about it, but it just happened. Kevin sent me an advanced copy of his book No is a Beautiful Word: Hope and Help for the Overcommitted and Occasionally Exhausted and asked me for an endorsement. This ended up […]
Read More
What if one of the most dangerous attitudes for believers is self-righteousness? What if it’s possible to be “right” and toxic at the same time? What if, in the name of doing God’s work, we find ourselves furthering the cause of Satan? I’ve been reading through Thomas Brooks’ Christian classic Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices. […]
Read More
One thought from Angela Duckworth’s book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance struck me as being particularly relevant for marriage. While Grit is mostly about work and vocation, apply the following thought in relational terms and you’ll see what I mean: “What ripens passion is the conviction that your work matters. For most people, […]
Read More
Don’t you think it would be cruel to ask your spouse to hold down five jobs? Let’s say your wife is a university professor, but you expect her to also serve as a detective in the police department, an investment advisor at a local bank, a case worker for child protective services, and sell new […]
Read More
A few years ago, Lisa and I took a military transport and landed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It felt unbearably hot, even for a couple traveling from Houston. Yet the Navy chaplain escorting us around said, “Congratulations—you wisely came here during the coolest time of the year.” Trips like this one overwhelm me with the […]
Read More
The conversation took place almost a decade ago, but I can still remember it. “If either of you ever have any doubts,” this man told me and my best friend, “you need to know you’ve got two really good boys.” The man speaking to us was our sons’ high school principal. He’s the kind of […]
Read More
“But the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people…’” Luke 2:10 Want to know the absolutely best present you could give your spouse or family for Christmas this year? You won’t find it on the ubiquitous “12 […]
Read More
Last week, we talked about the need to hate hate. In this two-part series, we’re looking at the blessing of loving love. No one has more joy than the person who has learned to love love. We’re not talking about loving someone merely as a duty but loving because God has made it the […]
Read More
The Jesus life is much more radical than most of us care to admit. In particular it means that as Christians, we don’t get to hate anyone (1 John 4:20). Look at this in the context of other sins: for instance, if stealing is wrong, it is wrong to steal from anyone. You are a […]
Read More
