This message needs to be shouted from the rooftops! See Leslie Vernick’s website for more help on dealing with abusive and troubled relationships… Leslie Vernick These days we are influenced by a culture of talk and tweets. We’re told to express our feelings, hold nothing back. We’ve all seen in national news how people’s unrestrained talk and tweets get them into public hot water. Every day I see the relational fallout that comes from thoughtless, foolish, deceitful, and cruel words….
Influence: the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something. One day, I was trying to turn around a median in an unfamiliar area, when I realized I had gone the wrong way around the median. The worst thing was is that three cars were following me! That is the way our lives are: our lives are like a book that is read by others, making a huge impact for good or bad.[1]…
Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity. (Romans 12.1 Phillips) Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived. (1 John 2.6 MSG) Time. 24/7. A precious commodity. When we…
Be a Barnabas Joseph, a descendant of Levi, had been born on the island of Cyprus. The apostles called him Barnabas, which means “a person who encourages. He sold his field and gave the money to the apostles for the work of God.[1] He was a prophet and a teacher (Acts 13.1). When all the disciples were afraid of Paul after his conversion, it was Barnabas that took him and explained his conversion and verified his testimony.[2] Here is the…
WHY We Need to Live in Community All the gifts of the Spirit listed in Romans 12.6-8, 1 Corinthians 12.4-11 and 1 Corinthians 12.4-11 and the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5.22-23 all are clearly only usable in community; in fact many of the gifts and fruit are only usable when either facing adversity or to build up others in community. Living in community is the best anecdote for depression and lack of purpose and meaning in life. God…
God’s plan is that we be a part of community. The word community actually is a word that comes from the prefix com- meaning with, and unity. It means a group of people unified, having a common union. One of the ways that God initiates to ensure that we have the life He came to give it, in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)5 is to put us in community and keep us from being isolated and alone. One of the first things that happens when we accept Christ…
Last Thursday a group of women took an evening and redeemed the time… we turned an evening on the calendar into something that mattered for eternity. I am keenly aware that when a group of quality, empowering, inspiring women get together in one room, amazing things are bound to happen. That’s why I’m always trying to get women together in one place! And last Thursday’s event at my home was no exception. Some of the initial things that warmed my…
Friendships 1. There are different levels of friendships. Define: acquaintance, casual friendship, close friendship (mutuality), and intimate friendship. 2. There are different seasons of friendships. Your life is like a skyscraper, with each floor representing a different part of your life. Realize that some friends are there for a season: you may be sharing the experience of a hobby your child likes together, or have children in the same activities or sports, but afterwards it is difficult…
