Family by God&#039;s Design

Sticks & Stones May…What? And Words?

Remember the saying that “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” It’s a lie. According to a study involving over 20,500 participants, we need to change that saying to something like “sticks and stones may break my bones and words will rewire my brain and possibly detract from my...

Family Shepherds Honor

parenting power of words verbal abuse

April 14, 2026

Parents, Walk the Talk

I heard my children upstairs yelling at one another. I listened for a moment hoping they would stop, but they didn’t. Slowly, I walked to the bottom of the stairs and yelled, “We don’t yell in this house.” As soon as I said it, I realized what I had done. I yelled that we don’t...

Family Shepherds Honor

child development moral development parenting role model

April 14, 2026

Lost “Accidental Learnings”

We live in a new world because of technology. Our children were born into this technological world and, although they learn things we never had to learn, they also experience greater difficulty learning things we learned “by accident.” Let me share a few of the “accidental learnings” I think we learned before the age of...

Family Shepherds

imagination learning perspective taking planning values

April 6, 2026

Want a Better Marriage? Argue Less

Sounds like an obvious statement, doesn’t it? For a better marriage, argue less. But that doesn’t mean that you need to forfeit your happiness and just let your needs and opinions remain unspoken and unmet. Sometimes you need to speak up about something. After all, shut up and put up will destroy your marriage. There...

Grace Honor

arguments communication connection intimacy marriage

April 4, 2026

Change Your Child’s World, Read to Your Child

We all want our children to grow into mature, compassionate, and productive adults. We also want them to have positive relationships, beginning with their relationship with us. We want them to have the wisdom and knowledge to not only live better lives than we have lived but to create an even better world than the...

Family Shepherds Honor

healthy development parent child relationship parenting reading

March 31, 2026

Five Practices to Save Your Marriage (and Your Money)

The average cost of a wedding in the United States is now between $34,000 and $36,000. That represents an enormous investment. If a couple prepares only for their wedding and not for their marriage, they may spend money to end their marriage in 7-8 years, the most prevalent years of divorce. If the couple does...

Honor

intimacy marital satisfaction marriage

March 30, 2026

Join the Revolution of a Healthy Family

Tired of the chaos that fills our society? Looking for a way to make a real difference? I have a great solution for you to consider. It may sound too simplistic, but it is powerful. Build a healthy, happy family. Fill your children’s lives with “Positive Childhood Experiences” (PCEs). Before you cast this idea off...

Celebration Family Shepherds Grace Honor

adverse childhood experiences family family relationships parent child relationship

March 23, 2026

The Dragon Speaks

Have you ever found jealousy intruding into your life and mind? Everything in your marriage seems to be going great when suddenly, out of the blue, the dragon of jealousy raises its head. You find yourself envious of your spouse’s success or jealous of the attention and accolades your spouse receives. You don’t want to...

Grace Honor

envy jealousy marriage relationship

March 21, 2026

Learning to Love

The other day, I ran across this quote from a bell hooks book. Well, I didn’t really run across it. I read it. Either way, I really like it and want to share it with you. “While ours is a nation wherein the vast majority of citizens are followers of religious faiths that proclaim the...