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What Did Jesus Believe About the Creation Account in Genesis?

What Did Jesus Believe About the Creation Account in Genesis?

Have you ever thought about what Jesus, whom Christians believe to be God incarnate, believed about the beginning? Yes, I understand the temptation to call this a silly question.

Christian Life

Are You Humbly Voicing a Need or Formalizing a Complaint?

Are You Humbly Voicing a Need or Formalizing a Complaint?

In the beginning, after God had created Adam and placed him in the garden to cultivate it, He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18).

Ask Yourself This Question If You Want to Be a More Effective Communicator

Ask Yourself This Question If You Want to Be a More Effective Communicator

When my interpersonal dynamics professor asked that question one day during my sophomore year in college, it revolutionized my thinking as a nineteen-year-old male. That question sparked in my mind a realization that there were effective ways to communicate, as well as ineffective ways.

Christian Life

What Does Love and Respect Enable a Wife and Husband to Do?

What Does Love and Respect Enable a Wife and Husband to Do?

In the Bible, we find two realities to which we are to respond: God’s commands and God’s promises. God calls us to obey His commands and trust His promises. Most of us have sung the song "Trust and Obey,” which captures these two quintessential truths.

A Poem on Mother’s Day

A good friend of mine, Scott Walchek, wrote this poem on Mother's Day. I loved it! I hope you do too. He captured my feelings about my mom. A Mother’s DruthersIf you had your druthers,

A Poem on Mother’s Day

Parenting

Stereotyping?

A woman writes, “Please help. I have a women's study group and we are watching the DVD. I know that Emerson has several times mentioned that the love and respect issues are 'typical' and not all-inclusive to the point of stereotyping. However, I have a friend who can't see past the 'stereotype' issue...all men need respect, not love, and all women need love, not respect, PERIOD.”

Stereotyping?

He Showed His Hands

Before his freshman year of high school, Davey, a young boy, age 14 went to summer camp for three weeks in northern Michigan, as he did each year since age 8. This time, when he returned home his mother shocked him with the news that his father had left. Davey couldn't believe his ears. He adored his dad. When Davey asked her where he'd gone she honestly could not tell him.Sadness flooded the boy's soul, and that sadness continued through the fall and winter of the school year. That sadness controlled him. Compounding his woes, the senior elite kids poked fun at him, the football coach dropped him from the squad, and for the first time he started getting bad grades. He had never felt such rejection, like such a loser, and so stupid.

He Showed His Hands

Christian Life

Too Simplistic In Light of Serious Marital Problems?

Too Simplistic In Light of Serious Marital Problems?

A critic states, "Love and respect is too simplistic for couples who have more serious problems." Yes, many couples have serious problems beyond love and respect. However, those serious problems do not justify neglecting love and respect in favor of the alternative: hate and contempt. Not only is hostility and disdain destructive of intimacy, such behavior opposes God's command to love and respect in marriage (Ephesians 5:33).

Who Is The Primary Provider?

Who Is The Primary Provider?

My dad lost his job in his early 50’s. His employer, a railroad company, went against union contract by closing down the terminal and dad found himself unemployed. At that juncture my mom provided the primary income. That arrangement strained the marriage not because mom earned more but because dad felt disrespected when mom would unthinkingly comment about having to earn the money, or she’d spend money independently of dad’s knowledge. And mom felt unloved when dad did not express appreciation for all her work or would explode in anger when she appeared too independent.

Unlovable Wives And Unrespectable Husbands

Unlovable Wives And Unrespectable Husbands

Recently a wife of an alcoholic wrote me, sharing with me that the teaching of unconditional respect permeates Al-Anon. Al-Anon is an organization created to serve family members of alcoholics. She wrote, "Al-Anon teaches that everyone deserves respect and dignity and the right to be their own person – no matter what their problems are or how they decide to manage (or not manage) their lives.

Investing In Marriage

Many of the couples who attend our Love and Respect marriage conferences have good marriages. So why do they attend if they have good marriages? Such folks keep on investing in those marriages. They invest the time, effort, and finances to maintain a satisfying and stable marriage. For example, people are traveling from 24 states to attend our Charlotte North Carolina conference. Wow!

Investing In Marriage

Crying Wives and Angry Husbands

Crying Wives and Angry Husbands

I am thankful that the Love and Respect ideas continue to be part of the conversation of such authors as Shaunti Feldhan and Gary Thomas. Gary writes in Sacred Influence, "Far too often women expect...