Many of us are familiar with the iconic line “You complete me” from the famous movie Jerry Maguire. I loved watching the tear-filled scene as Tom Cruise’s character, Jerry, professed his undying need to be made whole by Renee Zellweger’s character, Dorothy. It seemed to make perfect sense…two halves becoming one whole. But, it’s not at all how marriage is described in the Bible. (more…) Read more
Life – as beautiful and amazing as it is – can be exhausting. In an effort to stay ahead, or simply keep up, we push and push and push ourselves to achieve. And, then sometimes, the only thing we have to show for it is our worn-out, shell-like self crying out for stillness. So, what’s missing? (more…) Read more
Being a mom is an amazing, but it takes nearly every ounce of our being–emotionally, physically, and mentally. And, we often find ourselves taking care of everyone else EXCEPT ourselves. It is a tremendous blessing that is both exhausting and rewarding. Motherhood is a job where the to-do list is endless…BUT moms need breaks too. With a two year-old at home, two kids in elementary school, and one in middle school, I sometimes feel like I get to the end... Read more
GUEST BLOG by Debra Fileta The dangerous rift between two people in a marriage doesn’t happen overnight. Just like anything significant, marriage takes time to build – and it also takes time to tear down. But sometimes, we begin to slide away from one another without our realizing that the rift is happening. Like the slow dripping of a leaky faucet, we get so accustomed to the pattern of the noise that we don’t even realize that something is broken. Something... Read more
I don’t know a whole lot about sports, but I do know that certain plays in a game aren’t “good” if the player goes out of bounds. In baseball, your pitch isn’t considered good unless it is right over the plate. In a football game, you can’t score a field goal unless the football goes directly through the uprights. Staying within the boundary lines is extremely important in order for a team to score or better yet win the game.... Read more
One day while my kids and some neighbor kids were playing in the kitchen and my husband, Dave, had just come home from work, he walked in the kitchen, pulled me close, hugged me, and greeted me with a kiss. It was by no means a lingering, passionate embrace; but it was a warm and affectionate greeting where, yes, our lips locked. Cooper’s friend loudly gasped and said “Eew, gross!” and looked at Cooper as if he should have the... Read more
Our relationship with our in-laws can be difficult to navigate at times even when we genuinely love them. Therefore, as parents, we need to decide ahead of time how we will receive and treat those who marry our children. When we do this, we create a great foundation for a healthy relationship with not only our son/daughter-in-law but we will also cultivate and keep a strong and balanced bond with our grown child. As a mother of four boys, I’ve... Read more
If you and your spouse are going through a rough patch in your marriage right now, please take heart and know that there is hope. Here are 4 things you can do right now to help your struggling marriage… (more…) Read more
In the most romantic book of the Bible, Song of Solomon, the wife calls her husband “my lover, my friend”. I love that! With the busyness of life…raising kids, working hard, and checking off our long “to-do” list, we can forget that God not only gave us a partner for life in our spouse, but he also gave us a lifelong best friend, “BFF” (best friend forever), or “bestie” (like the cool kids say). If we find ourselves in a... Read more
Don’t you love the feeling of a fresh start and setting new goals? Many of us do. We want to better ourselves and our lives. January is a popular time for this with New Years resolutions on our minds and in our sights. The gyms are bursting at the seams. The health food stores have empty shelves. Married couples have a renewed sense of devotion. Solid family budgets are in place. And, church attendance is at an all time high.... Read more
Ashley Willis
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