Conflict
Offended Christians
This is a reprint from a 2019 post, but because I have been having conversations with a lot of “offended” brothers and sisters in Christ, it’s worth re-posting. They are living in an “upset state of mind” over conversations, issues, and flat out gossip, for which they have no context: re-living (daily) the venomous words these moments have created- with no healing in sight. Being an offended christian is neither healthy nor pretty. What’s the deal about Christians being offended?…
Bad Marriage Advice
We’ve all heard it. Someone, somewhere gave another human marriage advice so spectacularly bad that we cringed a little bit inside. Usually this someone was on a reality show. Or at a relative’s wedding. Those unfortunate platitudes are easy to spot and just as easy to brush aside. Slightly more dangerous, however, are those bits of advice that seem very applicable and true on the surface, but become somewhat problematic if you look at them a little closer. Here are…
Boundaries – Do Good Fences Make Good Neighbors?
Most of us have heard that phrase – good fences make good neighbors. But is that true? After all, aren’t we supposed to be breaking down barriers rather than putting them up? Don’t walls just keep people apart? Well, yes…and no. Let’s dive in, shall we? History time! If we could go back in time to the Old West and journey beyond the borders of the Ponderosa and past the OK Corral, we would find ourselves embroiled in an age-old…
Suicide and Teens
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 If you’re a parent of a teenager, you are faced with innumerable challenges every day. Parenting a teen in the age of smartphones, social media, and internet is incredibly difficult and downright terrifying. Bullies, harmful internet content, and comparison-driven social media can now reach…
Unloved
Have you ever been in a Bible class when the teacher asked you to name a Bible character you admire? Maybe you wanted to be strong like Samson or a skilled warrior like Joshua. Maybe you wanted faith like Abraham or Mary or passion like Peter, even in his missteps. I’ll bet that you never thought, “I want to be like Leah.” A few years ago, someone sympathetically told me that’s who I reminded him of. Leah. Yep, the ugly…
Parent Up! A Friend Indeed
Friends. Joy or drama? Tears or laughter? I know I’ve said it before, but I think it’s worth repeating; Our kids learn how to be friends based on what they hear and see from their peers and adults around them. What does being a friend mean? Have you given your child language to differentiate between the various spectrums of what it means to be friends (from having a friend to confide in, befriending the new kid on the block, or…
Stress and Your Relationship with God
“In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered and set me free.” Psalm 118:5 In our previous post, we talked about Nature and Nurture and explored how our genes (nature) have an impact on our mental health. This time, we are going to go deeper to talk about the influence of our environment. When I say “environment,” I am not necessarily talking about trees and rivers. Mental health professionals often use the term ‘environment’ to refer to…