Debating Opposite Sex Friendships

If you have a best friend of the opposite gender they should be your significant other, according to research. One of our friends says that’s not a hard and fast rule. She says if the man dating the woman with a guy friend is secure in who he is and if he’s a strong Christian man and he knows who he is in God then he’s not going to feel threatened if it is truly JUST a friendship. He’s going to be able to recognize there’s nothing to worry about. She believes if the friendship was established before the relationship, you shouldn’t have to drop your friend. But a friendship between a man and a woman should not start after a person is already in a relationship with another person. She feels like that is asking for trouble.

 

The Key to Less Stress

Balance your checkbook. Research says that will help you alleviate stress. They say you should look at your budget once a month. I don’t know that people do that any more since everything is online. It could mean keeping tabs on where you are financially. Knowing helps you not overspend. That provides a sense of peace.  People who balance their budget have fewer stress related illnesses than those who don’t. It’s not the amount of money you have, but it’s having better control of the money you have, that provides that sense of peace.  I recommed not swiping  the credit / debit card non stop without looking.

 

What’s Most Important?

The battle for your heart is won and fought on the pages of your planner. Is your schedule filled with doing things for God? Do you prioritize what’s most important?

Once we accept Jesus, we don’t go straight to heaven. We have a job to do. God wants us to tell others about Him. He wants us to show others Him through how we act. He wants us to show Him love by doing what He asks.

 

 

 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:36-39

 

4 Steps to Shortening the Temper Tantrum

My son Sam used to throw what my wife Becky calls the Defcon 5 temper tantrum, usually when we passed by a playground without stopping. Ann Frankl has some advice. She says it helps to know what’s going on in your toddler’s head. They live in the moment. They’re impulsive. They don’t care if they might get to go tomorrow, that’s tomorrow, not now!  They’re flexing those fledgling muscles of autonomy.

4 things that work are:

Distraction

Ignoring the behavior

Stay Calm – If you lose your cool, they will get more fired up.

Don’t Cave – If you cave, it reinforces the behavior.

 

Psalm 23 for the Workplace

PSALM 23 FOR THE WORKPLACE…

We don’t know who wrote this adaptation of Psalm 23, but we thought it would give you a lift:

The Lord is my real boss, I shall not want. He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me. He gently reminds me to pray and do all things without murmuring and complaining. He reminds me that he is my source and my job is not. He restores my sanity everyday and guides my decisions that I might honor him in all that I do.

Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, system crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks, gossiping co-workers, discriminating supervisors and an aging body that doesn’t cooperate every morning, I still will not stop— for He is with me! His presence, His peace, and His power will see me through. He raises me up, even when they fail to promote me. He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens to let me go. His Faithfulness and love is better than any bonus check. His retirement plan beats every 401K there is!

When it’s all said and done, I’ll be working for Him a whole lot longer and for that, I BLESS HIS NAME!!!!!

The More Details the Better

Seeking God in prayer when you don’t know what you’re going to do is the way to go. When you’re specific in prayer, you’re showing your believe that God can do all things. Plus, when the prayer is answered, you can see God’s hand in it.  In this case, we’re talking about when you lose a job. Seeking another job where you can glorify God in the process and love on your co-workers and share the love of Christ with them is a good start.

I remember a time when I was specific in prayer, it led to me marrying Becky!

 

The Author of Restoration

Daniel is thankful for Family Life Radio. He’s going through divorce. The station has been his best friend helping him get through this tough time. I encouraged him because I was there a long time ago. I know what it’s like to have an unfaithful wife.

I was able to speak into Daniel’s life. God heals us when we take our hurts to Him.  Now, I am many years on the other side of it and have been married to my beautiful bride Becky for 20 years. God is good! He knows what He’s doing. He does restore you. It’s all in His time.

God Gave Me A Car

Her teen totaled the car. Her teen was ok, praise the Lord! That meant they were out of a family vehicle. The insurance said they’d give them $1,000. They couldn’t figure out how they’d get a reliable family car for that price. Her husband was doing his job as a letter carrier when he came across a vehicle one of his residents owned but didn’t drive. He asked about it. They said “it runs great, but the air conditioner doesn’t work.”  The resident gave him the car! That meant they could put the money to fixing the a/c. Fixing the a/c came out to exactly that, $1,000.00!

 

 

Sharing Jesus

Anneka is asking for our prayers. That we’d pray over the invitation to Christ going on at an after school club. She says they talk about the ABC’s of the Christian Faith.  A – Admit. B – Believe. C – Confess. The kids will have the opportunity to invite Jesus into their heart.

 

 

If you are interested in knowing Jesus as your Lord and Savior,

1. God Loves You!

2. All of us have done, said or thought things that are wrong. This is called sin, and our sins have separated us from God.

3.The good news is that, about 2,000 years ago, God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.

4. Ask Him to be your Savior and Lord by praying something like this: “Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always.”

 

Heaven is Celebrating!

Dale was raised in the church but turned away from his faith. He’d go through a cycle where he’d do what he wanted and then pray to ask for forgiveness, but would keep on doing those things, he was asking forgiveness for. He grew tired of the cycle. The good news is, if you’re like Dale, God is ready with open arms.

 

 

God’s team just got bigger! We celebrate with Dale for his decision to accept Christ as his Lord and Savior. Please pray for him as he learns what it means to live and love like Jesus.  Please pray he find a church rooted in the bible and people to come alongside him in this journey.