Greg and Julie Gorman believe your marriage can do more than survive; it can thrive. Let me explain with a story.
My grandmother lived about thirty miles from us, and at times, my mother would allow me to spend a week with my grandmother. It was an adventure, particularly that she had cats, and they fascinated me.
Granny used to wash clothes using a wringer type washer. And that was terribly old-fashioned at that time, cause mom had a real washing machine. But a wringer washing machine would wash the clothes, but not rinse. So Granny would get these huge buckets of clear water, and put the soapy clothes in there. She’d run them through the ringer into the next bucket of clean water. While she was doing that, she would ‘allow’ me to wash the cats.
Now, if you know cats, they hate water. But Granny wasn’t bothered about that. She said you couldn’t ever drown a cat. Well, I heard that I was gonna try. Now I got all scratched up, but I wrestled one of Granny’s cats and until it gave up. Now I was kind enough that I didn’t go on to kill the kitty. But I had to prove granny wrong. All that to say, God is very very creative. I would never have thought of all that. Really! God said, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways.”
I’m sure if it was up to me, I would not have made everyone in the church have a different spiritual gift. I would have had everyone alike so they wouldn’t argue. But God made everyone different. Some are good at some things, while others excel elsewhere. That’s the way God made families too. Husbands and wives are different. Once I got married, my husband saw my emotions and said I wasn’t logical. I wanted to remind him I graduated with honors.
Today I have Greg and Julie Gorman. They have just written Two are Better than One, and I love their perspective on marriage. They teach God has a purpose for your Marriage. It can thrive!
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Mother’s Day sounds like a day to celebrate, but many women don’t. Those who struggle with infertility or someone who just lost her mother or a child may long to ignore the festivities. I’ve even discovered some ladies plan activities, so they keep busy and forget. Maybe your child has strayed. Mother’s day hurts. If that describes you, my heart goes out to you.
As Mother’s Day approaches, I can’t help thinking about the importance of the job. The Apostle Paul spoke to Timothy, his son in the faith: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” As caregivers and nurturers, we have a tremendous impact on our children. Our careful mothering can ensure a child’s emotional and spiritual health while poor mothering can damage both. Scripture exhorts us to teach our children with a balance of love and discipline. Our efforts will lay the foundation for the child’s security and confidence. As it says in Deuteronomy, “teach them (God’s precepts) diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
On the other hand, I’m overwhelmed by the enormity of the job. Each child in your home possesses a complex personality with unique needs. That child expects you to understand him and know his motives. That’s impossible, especially if you have more than one child. Add to that the day to day work of living, meals, overseeing physical growth, and monitoring emotional maturity. As a child grows, you have lessons, ball games, recitals, finals. Life goes by faster and there’s more to do.
I came to motherhood armed to do it right. I’d studied psychology in school and determined to avoid the pitfalls. Whew! I poured myself into the task and gave it my all. Unfortunately, I made plenty of mistakes, and I learned how much I needed God. I’m too small, but my heavenly father gives wisdom when I cry out to him.
Jane Rubietta shares her heart with us. She has just completed Heartbeat of a Mother. Listen in for Mother’s Day encouragement.
New Money Mindset Combines Freedom with Loving Others
Money is an uncomfortable topic. I have an acquaintance. I believe she stopped going to c because the pastor asked for money one too many times. I don’t know about you, but I can be tempted by money. I’ve always hated to back up when driving. A year or so ago, my husband bought a car with a rear camera that shows behind you as you back. I have to admit feeling envy over his rear camera. And I can justify it, I’m so bad at backing up. That drive to get the latest iphone or techy device tends to hang over us, me included.
The Lord brings this verse to mind often: “look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18) My focus needs to be on eternal things, things that last forever. The latest invention will be old in a week and useless in a few years. Things we cannot see will last for3ever. With that in mind, my husband and I have deliberately chosen to live so that we have a surplus to give to the kingdom.
Here’s a testimony from the church at Macedonia: “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will.” (2 Corinthians 8:1) The church there in Macedonia wasn’t rich, but they gave anyway. Awesome!
Brad Hewitt is my guest. He’s co-author of New Money Mindset. He shows how you can choose your attitude toward money and control your money rather than allowing your wants to control you.
What is time? Seconds become minutes, and minutes become hours. Likewise, hours become days and years. Those minutes, hours and days make a lifetime. The rhythm of time controls our lives, and in our busy world, we often feel we never have enough. God created time and he has an eternal overarching plan he’s working out. We know he cares about when things happen. He told Abraham that “… At the appointed time I will return to you. . . and Sarah shall have a son.” Solomon said, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted, a time to break down and a time to build up…”
The apostle Paul added to that thought in Ephesians: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” And in Psalms we see, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” As I age, I realize I won’t live forever here on earth. It makes me more serious about how I use time.
In order to make wise use of those moments God gave us, we’ll need to learn time management. Someone noted that if we did all the things experts recommend, like brushing your teeth a certain number of minutes, or getting the correct amount of exercise, you’d need more that twenty-four hours in a day. That means we need to decide what’s important to us and set goals.
Sheryl Giesbrecht is my guest today. When she faced stage four cancer, she gave a lot of thought to her remaining years. Listen and learn from her.
Sharon Norris Elliot offered her wisdom on getting your words in print.
“Live significantly!” That’s the inspiring message of Sharon Norris Elliott, award-winning author, popular conference speaker, and astute Bible teacher. Sharon loves Jesus, wants her life to count, and encourages everyone who will listen to live a life that matters. She walks out this calling in many ways. As an author, Sharon is excited about the release of her latest book, Why I Get Into Trouble, the first in her children’s series. Boomerangs to Arrows: A Godly Guide for Launching Young Adult Children, is her second parenting title, and follows her second women’s title, Power Suit, the Armor of God Fit for the Feminine Frame. These three bring the total of her published works to ten (10). Her books span genres from parenting, to women’s, to teens’, to children’s, and to general Christian interest. Sharon also serves as Editor-in-chief of Gospel Roads online magazine. Check her ministry website,www.LifeThatMatters.net for updates, and read her devotional blog, “A Heart for the Word,” at www.sanewriter.wordpress.com.
We have a strong inborn sense of justice that comes from God. You’ll hear young children say, “That’s not fair.” Or “You’re wrong.”
I’ve heard Christian leaders say we have no rights, and I strongly disagree. The OT makes it clear that we do. The Ten Commandments state that someone should not steal our possessions or speak against us. I cannot steal your money or your watch. And much of the OT laws taught proportional justice. When someone harmed you, or violated your rights, the punishment should match the crime.
For instance, if you borrowed someone’s ax and broke it, you had to replace it. Or if you borrowed a horse that died while you cared for it, you had to buy another horse for that person.
The punishment matched the crime.
Now when someone violates one of those rights, you feel harmed and want that made right. Sometimes, an apology is enough. In others restitution needs to take place. There are times when someone hurts you and the outcome is not up to you`. For instance a pastor hurt my husband once and never humbled himself to say he was sorry. It was hard to forgive that man, but it was important that I do that.
Laurie Coombs tells the story of her father’s murder and her journey toward forgiveness.
