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Praying for the Hurting This Christmas
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” So goes the often-played Christmas song that is beloved by many. For a lot of folks, the holiday season–especially Christmas–is the time of year they most look forward to. There are traditions galore that lend themselves to a happy time for so many people. However, for some others Christmas is a very difficult time. They may enjoy a lot of the traditions, but there is a heart that is aching inside. As family and friends enjoy get-togethers and other traditions, they usually have fun, but it is tempered by hurt and pain. This holiday season, I want us to remember them in…
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The Worst Punishment of Hell
Hell is terrible. It is awful. It is frightening (or, at least, it should be). Those words, as strong as they are, can never fully describe the complete and utter horror that awaits those who will inhabit that place. Of course, the Bible describes hell as a place of “outer darkness” and “gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12). It is a place of loneliness and awful memories (cf. Luke 16:25). The most infamous word picture used in Scripture to describe hell is that of fire (Mark 9:43-48). I would dare say that this one fact is the one more associated with hell. But these things for which hell is most known pale…
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Coca-Cola Captures Young Parenthood Perfectly
A recent Coca-Cola advertisement from Argentina has gone viral for one simple reason: it is the truth. Watch and enjoy. (trouble viewing video? Click here to watch.) Being a parent is frustrating, but the rewards could not be greater. The more my children frustrate me, the more I find myself wanting to love them and see them grow and mature. I know this is only a commercial, but what it captures is perfect. It is also Biblical: Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. … Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them. (Psalm 127:3,5) In a world that says…
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Remembering the Pain of Losing
Dick Vitale is the love-him-or-hate-him color analyst for ESPN’s college basketball coverage. An argument could be made that he currently is the singular iconic figure in the sport, as his passionate personality has graced games now for 35 years on the network. His recent 35-year anniversary made waves through interviews and other outlets that I enjoyed reading and hearing. In one interview, I heard a fact from Vitale that I never knew, and it made me think. He was speaking of how he deals with the end of games that he is calling. One of the great traditions in college basketball is that the coaches and teams line up and…
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006: New Year’s Resolutions for Families [Podcast]
https://media.blubrry.com/faughnfamily/content.blubrry.com/faughnfamily/Podcast_006.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS(Trouble playing the episode? Click here to listen on the site.) As 2013 begins to wind down, many individuals are starting to consider their New Year’s Resolutions for 2014. In this month’s podcast, we want to help you think not only of yourself, but of your family. What are some resolutions that a family might consider having? That’s our discussion this month. Goals must be S.M.A.R.T. We share our “un-smart” goals, that we hope to round into form before the beginning of 2014. To learn what “smart” stands for, click here. 1. Resolve to simplify and organize life. As you will see, this…
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Not All Things in Moderation
For years, people used the simple quip “all things in moderation.” It was a short and memorable statement, meant to show that life was to be lived with balance. It has surely been helpful to many people over the years, as it helped them do fun things, but to look at the bigger picture. For example, the phrase helped people not eat 6 slices of ooey-gooey chocolate fudge cake (yummmmmmm). But I digress. As helpful as the old saying is, there are some things I do not want to do in moderation. No, I’m not talking about sinful things. I shouldn’t want to do those things at all! Instead, I…
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A Video Appeal: Join Our Email List!
Got 4 minutes? Then we want to give you 5 reasons why you should join our email list! Enjoy the video. (Video not playing? Click here to view on YouTube.) Now that you know why you should sign up, go right here to sign up, and we’ll send you your free eBook!
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Victoria’s Shame
I’m in two fantasy football leagues, and qualified for the playoffs in both leagues. This weekend was the first round of the playoffs in each league. So, we got home from worship yesterday morning and I turned on the TV to try to make sure I had the right lineup set. It was a great few minutes. Leah was just a few feet away, finishing up preparing lunch in the kitchen. The kids were piled in the living room with me, and we were talking and enjoying a few minutes of both “down” and “together” time. The TV went to a commercial, so I checked my phone to see if…
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Men Need Godly Men
Husbands are leaving wives. Dads are just walking away from children. Some are saying that adolescence, especially among males, should now last to the age of 30 (or even beyond). The fact of the matter is, men are not being challenged by society to really be men. One of the passions of my life is to change that. I have written about my mentoring group before, but that is just one way this can be done. However it is done, it must be done, or we will have a society filled with boys in men’s bodies–and maybe we already do. But this is not just an American problem, nor is it…
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Erring on the Side of Grace
People often do dumb things. Trust me. I “are” one. There are some who will intentionally say something to hurt someone’s feelings, while there are others who will act in such a way as to bring harm to other people. If we look back over our lives, we can see where that has happened to us all. In most of our lives, though, these times have been rare. Those who intentionally harm others are, thankfully, the exception rather than the rule. However, when someone says or does something that is hurtful, it is easy to be angry and upset. It is easy to hold a grudge because that person didn’t…
