Is This the Year?

Is 2014 the year that you are finally going to write that book, buy that house, become that professional or start that business you have been dreaming of? Do you have a dream? Perhaps a more important question is: Has God given you a calling for your life? “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God” (Ephesians 4:1). You’ve heard pastors describe being “called into the ministry.” But calling does not necessarily mean becoming a pastor or missionary. It may mean opening a […]

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The Covenant of Christmas

What does Christmas look like to you? Candy canes? Toys? Trees? Outdoing neighbors’ decorations? By outward appearances, the celebration of the birth of the promised Messiah has been changed into a commercial festival. Unfortunately, what has happened to our holiday is showing up in the kinds of relationships we have with one another. Consumer relationships About 130 commercials air during an NFL football game, taking up one hour of airtime. The ball is in play for only about 11 minutes. The average consumer is exposed to 3,000 ads daily telling you what you need to eat, drink, wear and look […]

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The Art of Appreciation

This is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving, the holiday dedicated to thanking God for our bounty of blessings. On this day, we may also be mindful to thank others in our lives. But what about the other 364 days? Are they days of appreciation or criticism? What’s your score? With your closest relatives/friends in mind, answer the following questions for each: When was the last time you spoke an appreciation to them? When was the last time you criticized them? What is your appreciation versus criticism ratio for them? Did you find that you are the most critical of those […]

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Get Your Date Night On

A recent study sponsored by The National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia reported that married couples who had one-on-one couple time at least once a week were over three times more likely to report being very happy in their marriages, highly satisfied with sex, and highly satisfied with communication. Is that how your friends rate their marriages? How about you? With local divorce rates exceeding 60 percent, having a regular date night might be just what your relationship needs. Relational by design God has created us as relational beings. In Genesis 2:18, God said, “It is not good […]

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What is Divorce Costing You?

What happens when couples have healthy marriages? They are happier and healthier, live longer, are more financially stable, have better sex and intimacy, handle stress better, and raise children who have significantly better chances for success as they grow into adulthood. On the contrary, virtually every societal ill is rooted in the breakdown of the family. Divorce rates have escalated over the past 50 years. Between 1960 and 2010, U.S. divorce rates have increased from 26% to 42%. 11 of the 50 U.S. cities with the highest divorce rates are found in Florida. This is how South Florida ranks: • […]

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