The first murder recorded in history was the murder of Abel. You know the story. Abel was killed by his brother Cain (Genesis 4:8). Why did he murder him? Family can sometimes equal foe. Take a look at Genesis 4:4-5: “And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” Cain was jealous of his brother Abel. The Lord, knowing the heart of Cain, warned him: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?…
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MARRIAGE: 4 months & 4 days
I’ve been married for 4 months & 4 days today. How would I describe it? Blessed, challenging & rewarding. Blessed: I am so thankful to God for my husband, our marriage, and our family. The only reason that I’m married is because of Jesus. I didn’t grow up valuing marriage; I never even thought about marriage as a young girl. As I grew into a young woman I was semi-open to it but I was still skeptical. I would think thoughts such as: “There’s no way that people are going to be with one person for their entire lives“. That’s how I thought, but then I met Jesus. He…
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LIFE: Be Adaptable
Our success in life depends on our ability to be adaptable. Life is full of changes so we must learn to be adaptable in order to keep up and keep our sanity. We enter relationships, we end relationships. We gain money, we lose money. We’re promoted, we’re demoted. We laugh, we cry. We’re loved, we’re hated. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” – Ecclesiastes 3:1 Life is full of seasons. There’s always something new to deal with: a new experience, a new situation, and even new sorrows. We have to get to the point of expecting change. We have…
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FAMILY & PARENTING: 10 Parenting Tips
There is no step by step rulebook to parenting, which is why it’s imperative for us to rely on the Lord as we raise our children. The Holy Spirit has a way of guiding us in every right way. 10 Parenting Tips: 1. We wish our kids lived in a perfect world, but the world isn’t perfect so we have to teach them to cope in this imperfect world. 2. We must discipline even when it hurts. And when they cry. Discipline builds character. 3. We must consistently teach our children; not scream at them. Many times in stores I oversee parents yelling at their unruly children when it’s evident…
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FAMILY & MOTHERING: Happy Mother’s Day To Me!
I was just about to fall into a deep sleep when I heard a pitiful “mooommma” from the bathroom. I walk in and this is what I see. Immediately I start laughing. Why? Because it’s Mother’s Day and I’m caring for a sick kid and cleaning up a bathroom full of thick vomit. Happy Mother’s Day to me! Of course I have compassion on my baby so I start tending to her needs and she starts apologizing. I let her know that it is okay! I then said “Happy Mother’s Day To Me!” and we both laugh. She knows its all good, and I know thats why I’m here-…
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Friction in your Relationships? 5 Tips to Consider
Friction in your relationships? No one is perfect so inevitably we will experience friction in our relationships from time to time. The key is to learn to respond the right way. Here are 5 tips to consider when experiencing friction in your relationships: 1. First and foremost, relationships require work! I think we tend to anticipate work when it comes to succeeding in life, but we understand this less when it comes to succeeding in relationships. We anticipate working in our career or throughout college, but we tend to overlook the responsibility and work that relationships naturally require. We tend to give up on relationships easier than we give…
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Expecting Keziah: Grateful To God For My New Life
In 2013 I was down & depressed, but now in 2015 I feel extremely blessed. I am so grateful to God for my new life. It’s funny how we never know what’s in front of us, all we can do is pray and hope for the best. My life has not been easy, I’ve cried so many tears; but I can sincerely say that I’m moving into a new stage and I’m truly thankful. If we look within and change ourselves, we set ourselves up for some wonderful things. Change is the hard part, though, and I believe it’s where most of us short-change ourselves. We’d rather stay the same and accept what we know as…
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MARRIAGE & FAMILY TIPS: Marry before kids
I don’t think we always understand how huge it is to have someone’s child. Our culture has told us that it’s okay to have children outside of wedlock, and although it certainly happens, it should never be our goal. The goal should be to marry before kids. Having kids with someone keeps you connected to them, even when you’d like to disconnect the relationship. When you have kids with someone they are entitled to a certain level of knowledge about your life that they probably wouldn’t have if you didn’t have a kid(s) together. It’s important to remember that if you are no longer with the kid’s mother or father then…
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It’s Not Your Fight: Be Still & Trust
Two times today I’ve heard the message: “It’s not your fight.” Earlier, while listening to a Joyce Meyer message she spoke of how she always wants to solve other people’s problems. She discussed how she often takes on more than she should because she’s picking up fights that aren’t hers to begin with. Then, while talking to my husband he flat out told me: “It’s not your fight.” He told me to not try and control the situation, but let the Lord work it out. So, now I’m writing to encourage you that it’s not your fight either. How often do we stress ourselves over situations or try and control…
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MARRIAGE: 20 Things a Wife Should Do!
Whether you are already a wife or anticipating the day you will be, there are many roles and responsibilities of a godly wife. 20 Things a Wife Should Do: 1. Bring her husband good, not harm, all the days of her life. 2. Be trustworthy- Her husband should have full confidence in her. 3. Work with eager hands. 4. Get up while it is still dark to provide food for her family. 5. Invest money. 6. Work vigorously. 7. Be profitable, staying up late to get the job done. 8. Be generous to the poor and give to the needy. 9. Ensure that her family is prepared for cold weather.…
