Family by God&#039;s Design

In Your Marriage, Don’t Say This…Say That

If you’ve married for any length of time, you have probably discovered that some statements hurt your marital relationships while others strengthen your marital relationship. Some are subtle, even somewhat surprising. Some are quite obvious. But learning the difference between statements that hurt your marriage and statements that damage your marriage will make the difference...

Honor

intimacy marital satisfaction marriage power of words

June 16, 2025

Just Something to Consider

A study involving close to 2,000 children offers an interesting finding. The researchers examined children’s exposure to violent television content at the ages of 3.5 and 4.5 years. Screen violence included physical aggression, verbal aggression, and relational aggression intended or attempting to cause harm to others. When the same children were 15-years-old, the researchers interviewed...

Family Shepherds

adolescence parenting screen time violence

May 26, 2025

The Pervasive Impact of Neglect

Everyone recognizes that abuse has many negative impacts on a child. But do you realize that abuse comes in different forms? There is physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Neglect occurs when a parent does not provide for a child’s basic necessities, their daily needs for such things as food, shelter, clothing, or...

Family Shepherds

child development discipline healthy development parenting safety

May 24, 2025

*To Calm A Quarrel

“A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.” (Proverbs 15:18, NIV) In our culture the demand to be heard is strong, even overpowering at times. Perhaps this demand to be heard has grown in response to a lack of listening that manifests itself in rejection, oppression, disregarding of...

Grace Honor

husband marriage parent child relationship patience wife

May 19, 2025

*A Fellow-Heir

Women have always had a special standing in the heart of God. Men may have, at times, attempted to make them second-class citizens, but God has always held women in high esteem. He created women with a special purpose, a purpose that has often been misconstrued. Specifically, He created women as a “suitable helper” (Genesis...

Book Reviews Honor

husbands love marriage value

May 17, 2025

An Amplifier Your Family Needs

Gratitude doesn’t come easily. We have a built-in “danger alert system” that keeps us keenly aware of the threats and dangers around us. This negative bias captures our attention, screaming warnings about safety and caution, keeping us ever vigilante of potential dangers. Of course, this does play an important role in our lives. The danger...

Celebration

awe emotional health family gratitude

May 12, 2025

Growing Neighborhoods by Growing Children

Who wants to improve their neighborhood and the well-being of our youth? We all do. We desire safer, more well-connected neighborhoods; and we know that safe, well-connected neighborhoods will enhance the well-being of our families and our children. But how can we accomplish this? At least one person offered an idea that I believe holds...

Celebration Family Shepherds

chores maturity parenting responsibility

May 10, 2025

Lost in a Smorgasbord of Parenting

Parenting has become a smorgasbord of confusion. Reading through myriads parenting advice, you might find yourself confused about which parenting style proves most effective: gentle parenting, attachment parenting, or mindful parenting. You might fly into the role of a helicopter parent or wander into the realm of free-range parenting. In search of the perfect parenting...

Family Shepherds

boundaries connection parent child relationship parenting responsiveness

May 5, 2025

Don’t Kill the Messenger

The green dragon opened one eye before quickly raising his head. He sniffed the air as his eyes darted around the room. Something was amiss. Something posed a threat to the relationship that the dragon jealously guarded. He nudges his master, even blows a little smoke in his direction. His master now has a choice:...