Family by God&#039;s Design

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

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March 4, 2025

Make the Gracious Choice

I often feel overwhelmed by the constant criticism, contempt, and name-calling I hear in the news. And…I don’t think I’m alone. I hear many others talk about feeling discouraged as they watch this as well. What we hear in news stories is one thing. What I find even more discouraging is how many people come...

Grace Honor

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November 4, 2024

A Powerful Force

Want to ruin a good vacation? Grumble and complain. Want to destroy a lovely dinner? Grumble and complain. Would you like to destroy an intimate moment or ruin a gift? You got it…grumble and complain. It’s true. Grumbling is powerful, a mighty force of destruction in families; yet it is so common and even accepted....

Grace Honor

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November 2, 2024

Raising Children Happiness

Raising happy children takes intentional effort these days. Perhaps it always has. Fortunately, a study from the University of Bristol suggests seven basic practices that can promote happiness…and so raise our children’s happiness. In this study, 51% of the participants maintained the practices that promoted happiness and reaped the benefits “during the following years.” We...

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June 3, 2024

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To My Children: Thank You

Full disclosure: I love being a parent. Granted, parenting has its times of struggle. Over the years, I have experienced fears and concerns that threatened to rob me of joy in the process. I have experienced moments of frustration and disagreement also. But the ongoing times of joy, pride, and celebration far outweigh any negative...

Family Shepherds

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May 18, 2024

2%, 3%, or 10%?

If I were to ask you which of these three factors—demographics (age, gender, socioeconomic status), financial difficulty, or marital satisfaction—would have the greatest impact on a person’s mental health score, what would you say? Obviously, all three have an impact, but which would have the greatest impact? A study published on February 14, 2024, in...

Celebration

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January 20, 2024

Don’t Forget the Secret Sauce

Many ingredients nurture a strong and healthy marriage: communication, time together, sharing emotions…the list goes on. But, the secret sauce of relationships, the ingredient that flows over it and adds extra flavor to the whole, is gratitude. Feeling appreciated by your spouse and appreciating your spouse forms a crucial ingredient to a healthy marriage. This...