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Posts from the “Marriage & Family” Category

God Is Our Father

Posted on June 20th, 2011

Saint Augustine once said, “The mind curiously delights in truth that comes in an indirect and symbolically evocative way.” We see reflections of God’s picture for the church in marriage – but on a different level, we see a picture of our personal relationship with God within fatherhood. God Is Our Father Throughout scripture we see that our relationship with God is that of children coming before their father. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” – 1 John 3:1 “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of…

Cream Puff Culture

Posted on July 9th, 2009

“One reason why sin flourishes is that it is treated like a cream puff instead of a rattlesnake.” – Billy Sunday I recall reading that quote in one of my Christian Daily Planner journals when I was about ten years old. It didn’t strike me as being a very profound quote at the time, but it remained vivid in my mind. Then one day I fully comprehended the point – people treat sin like a cream puff by telling themselves, “Just a little taste of it here and there won’t hurt anybody,” when they should be avoiding it like a deadly, venomous snake. Perhaps out of fear of working too hard to be pure and righteous – as many fantasize our old-fashioned ancestors to…

Hospitality Begins in the Heart

Posted on June 26th, 2009

When we reflect on the meaning of hospitality we probably envision sleek magazine settings with perfectly adorned tables inside a clean immaculate house in which everything has its place and always color coordinates. The lighting is warm and the fireplace beckons for company. Every guest is smiling, happy, handsome or beautiful, and amazingly, they always match the decorations! If this is the picture of hospitality, then who can realistically pull it off? Only the wealthy or just those who can employ the Cottage Living decorating team? How can we ladies who desire to show hospitality and make our homes inviting possibly compete with such luxury? What is hospitality? Hospitality is “a friendly reception or treatment of guests or strangers.” The cost of your lamp…

An Open Letter to Parents

Posted on May 25th, 2009

Dear Parents, Every time I turn around it’s in the news – “Gay Marriage Foes Knocked Down” “Gay Curriculum Proposal Riles Elementary School Parents.” In fact, one of the most crucial and publicized issues in the United States today is gay marriage. Other issues such as abortion and Christian free speech rarely make it into the mainstream media. However, news on homosexuals and gay marriage still ends up being very selective. Just last week the American Psychological Association publication released a statement that said, “There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings…