Family by God&#039;s Design

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 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...

Grace Honor

family family relationships love values

February 14, 2026

“You’re Such a 5-Year-Old”

My daughter is fond of telling me, “You are such a 5-year-old,” when I do something silly to tease her. I know she’s playing; and really, I take it as a compliment. So, I just smile and do something else to confirm her accusation, even if it’s telling a “dad joke.” It’s a short example...

Celebration Family Shepherds

emotional development family intimacy family relationships fun parent child relationship play

December 22, 2025

The Family Economy of Christmas

Have you ever thought about your family economy? Family economy represents our expectations about each member’s contribution to the family and the compensation they receive in response to that contribution. We generally don’t think about it, but consider these common statements heard in families: You get the idea. None of these statements are necessarily inappropriate...

Celebration Grace

christmas family intimacy family relationships gifts intimacy

December 20, 2025

Give a Holy Hug

Hugs are powerful. But have you ever thought of hugs as holy? Sacred? Obviously, a hug is more than just two people wrapping arms around each other and squeezing. Hugs mean something. They mean so many things that we even categorize them. Think about it. We have the: That’s just a few of the many...

Celebration Honor

affection communication family intimacy family relationships hugs physical affection

December 13, 2025

Happiness or Hope?

Happiness or hope? If you had to choose, which one do you think is most strongly associated with a meaningful life? That’s the question researchers from the University of Missouri asked in a series of six studies involving over 2,300 participants. The results suggest that hope predicts greater meaning in life. Having a sense of...

Celebration Family Shepherds

appreciation family relationships gratitude meaning parenting purpose

December 1, 2025

Aging, Your Attention & Relationships

I hate to say it, but I’m getting older (at least that’s what I’m told). As we age, our reaction times slow and we find it more difficult to tune out distractions. However, a study completed by USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology suggests a powerful method for enhancing attention and reaction times even as...

Family Shepherds Honor

aging attention family relationships marriage parenting

November 17, 2025

A Prescription for Your Health…& Your Family

We all know that high blood pressure, smoking, and poor diet represent health risks. As a result, we take measures to bring our blood pressure into a healthy range, we encourage people to stop engaging in behaviors that damage our health, and we encourage a healthy diet. We address these issues because we know they...

Celebration Family Shepherds

community connection family relationships friendship involvement loneliness

August 23, 2025

Clear the Clutter, Enjoy Your Family

We live in a time of clutter that interferes with our life and our family life. I’m not just talking about the clutter of stuff either. It’s true that too much stuff can clutter our lives and our families’ lives. It takes up the physical spaces in our homes and can contribute to a feeling...