Family
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Others Who Have No Hope
Please read the following words found in the English Standard Version of 1 Thessalonians 4:13 very carefully: But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others who do not have hope. I believe that most of us readily understand that the “sleep” being referred to here is the “sleep” of death. I believe it is also fairly obvious that the use of the word “brothers” means that these words are addressed to Christians. Does this verse teach us that Christians are not to grieve (mourn, sorrow, etc.) at all when a loved one passes from this life? Are…
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The Necessary Thing (and a Basket That Will Help Teach It)
As a mother, there are many things I want to teach my children. My head swirls with all the responsibility. They are my gift from God, and I desperately want to train, educate, equip, discipline, and lead them so that when they leave my house they are ready. I want to them to be ready to face this world. Every day, there is another item added to the list of “crucial information my children need to know before they leave my home.” That list is long and varied. I want my children to know how to be polite. I want them to know how to clean and how to finally…
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The One Word that Gives Children Authority Over Parents
Parenting is hard. Communication is hard. Put them together and you have something that can feel virtually impossible. At best, it can feel like a completely uphill task. One reason communicating with children is so difficult is because every word means something, and we often say things that we don’t think much about, but that can communicate so much. Today, I want to share one word that I am striving to reduce in my vocabulary with my children. At the very least, I am trying to change one specific way in which I catch myself using it. The reason is simple: whether I mean it this way or not, this…
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Who Are the Real Heroes?
Ask a young person who they consider to be a hero. What do you think they will say? Chances are, they will pick a well-known individual from the past or present who made a name for themselves because of something they achieved. It may have been they excelled in politics, athletics, music, or some other interest. People who are recognized as heroes are usually extraordinary people who became popular because of something they did or something that happened that was largely due to their influence. With that in mind, I met a real hero just the other day. I met him in the place where I have learned most of…
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The Pasta Plan
Before an athletic contest starts, there is a game plan. Leaders of corporations who want the corporation to be successful have a business plan. Construction companies have a site plan. Before one travels, there is usually a travel plan. Teachers are encouraged (or required) to have a lesson plan. People who hope to retire with sufficient funds to live somewhat comfortably are encouraged to have a financial plan. However, all too often in families, churches, and our individual lives, there is something I’ve chosen to call the pasta plan. You may have been in meetings and/or in family conversations where the pasta plan has been employed. Here is a test. Have…
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Two Professors; Two Education Models; (Possibly) Two Destinies
I have no idea how many different professors and instructors I had during my four years at Southern Illinois University, but I can only recall the names of two of them. Both of them taught in my major field of study (government) and both had me in more than one class (three for one and two for the other). I can still remember making an appointment with one of them to ask if I could use him as a reference in order to get into graduate school. I figured that he would be a good reference since he was reputed to be one of the (if not the) most difficult professor(s) in…
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Do We Really Understand Commitment
She had waited for this day for several months. They had been dating for a couple of years and had a serious relationship that they both knew would end in marriage. On this particular night, her months of waiting finally came to an end. After a wonderful dinner, and a walk by the river, he got down on one knee and asked her to be his wife. She accepted the beautiful ring and answered with a “yes.” Did she really know the commitment she was making? This young man loved the game of basketball. As a freshmen in high school, he tried out for the team and was selected to be one of the…
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Laughter
The late comedian Victor Borge once said that “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” People need to enjoy life. I have often said that one of the greatest lessons having cancer teaches a person is that it is important to rejoice more. Life is a wonderful gift. Too many people are wasting it being negative or unhappy. Researchers have noted that the average child laughs 150 times a day. The average adult only laughs 15 times a day. We are losing our smiles, and a laugh is really nothing more than a smile that finally bursts. The presence of laughter improves virtually every situation. I recently read a…
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Episode 35 : Five Devotional Ideas for Busy Families [Podcast]
https://media.blubrry.com/faughnfamily/content.blubrry.com/faughnfamily/Legacy_Podcast_035.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS(Player not working? Click here.) Many families feel as if they need to have family devotionals, but are so busy. Others feel as if they lack creativity to come up with ideas for family devotionals. In this episode of the podcast, Adam is joined by five busy moms–Erin Wells, Rebecca Stewart, Connie Rader, Kathy Pollard, and Amber Tatum–who share simple and valuable family devotional ideas that any busy family can do. RESOURCES Kaio Publications’ “Family Devotional” Object Lessons [Video] Rebecca Stewart’s son singing “This is My Father’s World” (Facebook) “Life and Favor” (Kathy Pollard’s blog) “Training for Worship” devotional ideas [pdf] [Blog post]…
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3 Ways a Wife Can Strengthen Her Marriage
Here at A Legacy of Faith, we are dedicated to strengthening marriages. We are saddened by the weakened state of the family, but we believe there is hope. There is hope for strong, committed marriages. There is hope for thriving families built on the kind of faith that is passed on for generations. Today’s post is for any woman who would like a stronger marriage. Let me share three things that a wife can and must do to strengthen her marriage. Respect your husband. Ephesians 5:33 says, “…let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Our husbands need respect. Moreover, husbands don’t have to earn the respect any more…
