The Homing Instinct
At the end of the day, I want to be famous in my home. Success is when those who know you best respect you most. It starts with the last…
At the end of the day, I want to be famous in my home. Success is when those who know you best respect you most. It starts with the last…
Forgive Quickly. The Bible speaks of keeping “short accounts.” In other words, don’t hold on to anger. Keep your marriage “current” instead of bottling up past issues, only to release…
People can be perturbing. Marriage and family life would be a lot less stressful if husbands and children didn’t sometimes act irresponsibly or disregard our feelings or instructions. Ministry would…
Are you struggling with fear today? Is it the pandemic, a job, food, something else? Are you seeing the size of your worries and not the size of your Savior?…
The book of Proverbs provides us with great advice about the importance of family and the responsibility to pass on wisdom, good character and integrity to the next generation. God…
One of the most used (if not overused) terms of our culture is the term dysfunctional. It has become the chic descriptor of flawed and broken people and especially families. Too often…
I don’t care how tough you are. You may be a Navy Seal who specializes in high altitude skydiving behind enemy lines. You might spend each day making million-dollar, split-second…
Nestled in the last chapter of the book of Proverbs are three elements that provide insight as to how a godly man (husband) invests in his relationship with his wife…
What lessons do we learn from the families in Genesis? Most consequences don’t come with an expiration date. Love your wife, love your kids, but put God first. Live a…
The command “don’t worry” comes from Jesus. In Matthew chapter 6, verses 25 to 34, Jesus says “Stop worrying”, in verse 25, 31, and 34. Stop it. Now you say,…
God has placed grandparents in the uniquely designed position within the family to be the rememberers. As the patriarchs and matriarchs, it is our job to remember and to tell.…
Thirty-six times in the New Testament we see a recurring word pattern—an action verb followed by the words one another. In English grammar this phrase is called a reciprocal pronoun—I…
Pastor John Beeson and his wife Angel are amazing parents. But, like most parents, they wanted to know what their teenage kids thought about their parenting skills. This is what…
1. Forgive Quickly. The Bible speaks of keeping “short accounts.” In other words, don’t hold on to anger. Keep your marriage “current” instead of bottling up past issues, only to release them…
When it comes to values, we tend to adopt what’s modeled to us while growing up. While it’s important to understand your values, it’s equally important to think through what…
Who are the most influential leaders in your life? What made them such great leaders? I fear that our cultural understanding of leadership is going further and further astray from…
Children are like wet cement. If you’ve ever worked with wet cement or seen someone work with it, it does harden up pretty quickly and so it is with…
My husband’s father, Roger Sr., was an amazing mentor. He intentionally instilled values in his growing young sons. What a man! What a legacy! Roger’s Dad repeatedly quipped pithy sayings…
“Unless the Lord builds the house, they that build it labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1 Marriage can be hard sometimes. Does my marriage, if a healthy one, really help me…
You shed crocodile tears when your little cherub bravely entered the kindergarten door, Sponge Bob backpack in tow. You watched your tyke kick his first soccer goal. You rejoiced…
Tomorrow I turn 40. Lord willing, I’m about halfway done with this marathon we call life. God has been so gracious to me. I have a godly wife who makes…
Empathy does not appear automatically. Nor does it develop in a smooth, steady progression. Indwelling sin is a constant impediment (as illustrated throughout the Book of Proverbs), which requires a…
Do You Have a “Daddy Complex? In the secular counseling world there is a concept referred to as the “Daddy Complex.” While there is no official diagnostic criteria for…
King Solomon penned Psalm 127. He was not the model father. God dubbed made the flamboyant monarch the wisest man on earth. When you read Psalm 127, you’ll notice…
Balancing work and family can be tricky. Here’s Carey Nieuwhof’s article on how to re-prioritize and win at home and at work. How’s it going at home…really? Here’s what…
“Hi, son! How was your day?” “Fine.” “What happened at school?” “Nothing.” “Anything happen you would like to talk about?” “No.” Sound like a familiar conversation when you pick…
It is amazing how quickly a reputation can be ruined! I had been asked to be the speaker at my home church’s women’s retreat one fall. The more I prayed…
What are the bare-bone facts of the gospel? What is the minimum information needed to believe and be saved? While those questions may foster interesting discussions, they are not valid…
After I was thrown out of North Park University in the middle of my sophomore year, I returned to Tucson to live with my Mom and Dad. My older brother…
The untouched idol of the American evangelical church is family. I love my family. No family is perfect, but I couldn’t be more grateful for a healthy family: a mom…
I ran over my son last year. I still can’t believe it. Rhett, my baby boy, escaped massive injuries and only suffered a broken hand, a bruise or two and…
An old Chinese proverb says, “One generation plants the trees, and another gets the shade.” You and I are still benefiting from the shade provided by trees planted by our…
Here is a conversation between Dr. Kevin Leman and a frustrated wife. Does your husband fail to listen when you are hurting? These words may be for you! Laura’s Question:…
Many years ago when our church began revitalization, we prayed and asked God whom he was calling us to reach. The answer we felt God impressing upon us then was…
The Brazilians taught me the beauty of a blessing. Here is a scene repeated in Brazil thousands of times daily. It’s early morning. Time for young Marcos to leave for…
I lost my father this year. This will be my first Father’s Day without him. But God gave me the greatest gift/ I had a chance to interview him exactly…
The most fundamental question that teenagers in your community will ever wrestle with is, “Why am I here?” Unlike past generations, teens today aren’t looking for the meaning of life. Instead, they’re…
There is a magical thing that happens in homes all over the world. When you have a child, you want your child to crawl, and then you want your kid…
Your husband learned from an early age to deny his true feelings — and to be silent about his deepest needs. Most men long for greater intimacy with their wives …
I love history and I love America! Thought I’d share a little of both in a brief article. For the record, this isn’t a dissertation. It’s a blog. And I’m…
Understanding the distinctive characteristics of your offspring because of their birth order can dramatically affect your parenting. Here is a concise description of unique birth order qualities. I hope you…
“Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Number your days, seize opportunities to love and mold your children. When you see how much…
What comprises your identity? A sense of relationship with God, an awareness of God’s call on your life and a deeper understanding of who He created you to be. Compare…
I’d like to encourage you to keep track of what God does in your marriage over this next month. I hope you’ll take time to share what God does in…
This blog was originally titled “How to Provoke Your Children” on gty.org. Have you experienced the paralysis of finding a good book on Christian parenting? Visiting your local Christian bookstore…
Dad, did you know that your relationship with your daughter is the most important relationship in her life? It is. Enjoy it. Encourage her. She is seeking your approval. A…
“Happy Father’s Day!” Daughters, do those words invoke images of love and acceptance, or neglect and abuse? Here’s a Bible character who could be nominated for Worst Dad Ever. “Here’s…
Women are always asking me how they can get their husbands to talk. “He just won’t talk to me, Dr. Leman. I just can’t seem to make out what he’s…
There’s enough circulating in the media today to discourage Christians about the future of marriage and family. In a recent Atlantic article, “All the Single Ladies,” Kate Bolick suggests we…
After I was thrown out of North Park University in the middle of my sophomore year, I returned to Tucson to live with my Mom and Dad. My older brother…
Studies reveal that about 50 percent of those who marry today will end up divorced. And of the other 50 percent who stay together, only half of those are satisfied…
What characteristics should a godly leader possess? I try to avoid the word “qualifications,” for that leaves the impression that if a man doesn’t bat a thousand percent in each…
Contrary to popular belief, men do have feelings. But most men are reluctant to share those feelings with others. Women, on the other hand, have no problem opening up. Why…
There’s enough circulating in the media today to discourage Christians about the future of marriage and family. In a recent Atlantic article, “All the Single Ladies,” Kate Bolick suggests we…
Tips for parenting: 1. Watch your expectations, make sure they are positive and not negative! 2. Make sure your kids get enough Vitamin E (encouragement) and some very essential Vitamin…
As parents, grandparents, extended family and friends we’re given a calling to hand-off the faith to the next generation. A faith that isn’t merely externalized and covering over a life,…
Parents have the calling to help the next generation discover their identity and unique gifts from God. It’s also helping our children learn how to own their own struggles/problems enabling…
Pastor Glenn Barteau and his wife Angie share some practical wisdom on how to help our kids navigate their ‘will’ and train it. As parents we can help our children…
When my son was born he was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis. Now neurofibromatosis, or NF, is a disease where tumors grow on the nerve endings. And every two years we have…
Paul gives five commands to be a model Christian, husband and father. Be on your guard, stand firm in your faith. Be courageous. Be strong. Do everything in love.
The book of Hosea teaches many lessons for the family. Hosea’s bride (symbol for Israel) forgot that God defines what marriage looks like, we do not. The children forgot that…
Why do we reserve romance for one day a year? If we want to “spice up” our love lives, we need to make every day Valentine’s day (at least as…
God’s amazing love for us is not given because of what we deserve, He actually adopts us as His very own children when we give our lives to Christ. Francis…
I’ll never forget the day my friend Karl called to tell me he was leaving Mongolia, never to return. We were planning to work on a ministry project together. Then,…
Everybody has a legacy. The question is, “What kind of legacy will you have?” Imagine with me that you are attending a funeral service. You sit toward the back, and…
A Good Dad Makes Godly Decisions The Lord made an agreement with Jacob and gave the teachings to Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children. Then…
Why Men Hate Going to Church is a best-selling book by David Murrow, founder of www.churchformen.com. He offers invaluable information pastors and church leaders should digest. If we take Murrow’s…
A New Year brings thoughtful reflection. We say things like “time flies” or “where did the time go?” Perhaps we should remember this: I’m reminded that 2 things are true:…
As the holidays approach, I am reminded of the importance of family. Beloved, I have a real, live family. We don’t live in Stepford. We live in Realville. We still…
Eli, Samuel and David were godly men who were terrible fathers. Myths that growing up in a spiritual leader’s home will produce godly offspring include going to church produces spirituality,…
Spiritually mature Christians know God intimately and experience His revelation deeply. They persevere in ministry, compassionately nurturing others.
In the last two blog posts I talked about dysfunctional families: first in Palestine, and then in America. Let’s get to the good news. Let’s talk a bit about the…
I believe it was Roger Barrier who I first heard point out that there are basically no functional families in the Bible. That is absolutely the truth. And to see…
Children can learn to pray as they observe God in nature. Here are three examples of ways you can teach your child to speak to God as they enjoy His…
A Barna research report this week revealed that 58% of American Christians don’t believe the Holy Spirit exists. “Fifty-eight percent strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement that the Holy…