“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” - Ephesians 4:3Conflict is an inevitable part of life, but as followers of Christ we are called to pursue peace and reconciliation. In the midst of conflict we have the opportunity to demonstrate God’s love and bring healing to broken relationships.When facing conflict in our marriages and families, we begin by examinin...  Read More

"So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better." - 1 Corinthians 7:25-40Singleness, a growing phenomenon in our culture today, stands in stark contrast to the past. Less than a century ago, singleness was uncommon, with people often marrying straight out of high school or a few years after. Today, we see a shift toward independence over inter...  Read More

“Honor your father and mother”— which is the first commandment with a promise —“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” - Ephesians 1:2-3For whom do you think this was written? Was Paul writing to young children in their parents’ home? Was it written to teenagers? Was it written to adults/parents? Keep in mind that the culture in Israel often had 3 or more g...  Read More

As we reflect on marriage again this week, we will consider the way of wisdom described in Proverbs 31. However, Proverbs 31 is really a famous summary of the many virtues and blessings of godly Wisdom, personified as a woman earlier in the book (Proverbs 1:20-23; 8:1-9:12) and contrasted with another woman named Folly (see Proverbs 9:13-18). Verses 1-9 and 10-31 follow much the same pattern.In Pr...  Read More

Not everyone can say this, but I’m thankful for the home I grew up in. It certainly doesn't mean that it was perfect, and I have lots of examples of what to do and what not to do. But I am thankful for the provision, sacrifice, love, care, and nurture that I received.The Bible makes it clear that God is passionately concerned about the care and nurture of children. The words that we will hear on S...  Read More

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Ephesians 5:25In many North American weddings, the moment a bride begins her walk down the aisle is pivotal. Everyone stands to join the groom in watching her as she processes to meet him. Of course, that moment is important for the groom as well because he loves his bride and longs to have her with him. As t...  Read More