“Reckless words pierce like a sword.” Proverbs 12:18 “With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor” Proverbs 11:9 “The tongue has the power of life and death. Proverbs 18:21 Growing up we all heard the nursery rhyme, “sticks and stones will break our bones but words will never hurt us.” It is a lie. The wounds may be invisible,…
As a woman, do you feel pressure to be a Betty Crocker mom, a Victoria Secret wife, and a Martha Stewart house-keeper, all while working to help provide some family income? We tell ourselves that we ought to home school our kids, and then we feel selfish if we don’t or can’t. In addition, we want to pray and study our Bible,…
Like many of you, I’m simplifying my life. I’m getting rid of stuff I don’t need, don’t use, can’t take care of or don’t want. Recently I ran across an old letter I’d saved, written by my mother. Throughout my entire life, we had an emotionally destructive relationship. Even as an adult, as a Christian and as a professional counselor,…
Too many women friendships are full of backbiting, competition and gossip. How can we learn to interact in ways that are encouraging instead of draining? On this Live the Promise, Susie was broadcasting live from Focus on the Family! She talked with good friend and Focus on the Family program director Erin Smalley about how to…
Susie Larson on
Susie muses on the topics of denying oneself and respecting others.
Susie Larson on
Are there things to say, or perhaps, not say to your veterinarian? Apparently, yes. I have two dogs and both are due for a routine check up. Interestingly and ironically, I stumbled across an article concerning proper etiquette when it comes to interaction with your vet. Read up as you prepare to take your precious pooch…
Dave Clutter on
In my last blog I talked about a woman who wanted to get her friend to stop commenting to her about her parenting style but she feared offending her friend and losing the friendship. Sometimes it can be tricky to express our feelings and needs wisely. One of most useful skills we can learn when we want to know how to express our feelings…
Someone asked me this week how she could tell her good friend to stop giving her advice about her parenting without ruining their friendship. She said, “My friend constantly tells me I’m too lenient with my kids. I’m getting tired of hearing it.” A good girlfriend is a wonderful gift, and a healthy relationship includes freedom to…
There is no grief like the grief that does not speak. ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow It was just another box of old belongings to be sorted for our cross-country move. But the brightly colored cloth journal caught my eye and caused my heart to skip a beat. With equal anticipation and dread I sat down and thumbed through pages written over…
A look at cultivating realistic and positive expectation of Christian marriage.
Neil Stavem on
Are fear and loneliness weighing you down? Let's take a moment to dwell on how powerful God is.
As you prepare for Easter, let's consider the value of Holy Week, and how Jesus's impact continually reverberates around the world.
Emotional abuse is aimed at disrespecting and controlling a person. Dr. Linda Mintle explains what it is and how to recognize if it's happening to you.
