Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. (Matthew 6:1) Some people love to do good things for other people not because it’s the right thing to do, but for their own selfish reasons. It makes them feel good about themselves. It makes them feel important, needed and wanted. Truth is… if you’re not doing it for the right reason, you might as well not do it at all. Kindness should be something that flows from the heart, not…

I have met a man who means a lot to me. He treats me like I am his queen. I was married once before and I am terrified of making another mistake in marriage. The thought of marriage makes me ill to be perfectly honest. His end goal of our relationship would be to marry me. Am I wise to express the reservation and end the relationship so that he is free to find a woman who is likeminded? or should I just keep my reservations to myself and have faith that I’ll get over my fear of another failed…

Your heart is one of the most treasured, precious commodities you have. Everything flows from it. Two scriptures serve as a reminder of this truth: Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23) For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34) Your heart serves as your personal wellspring. It is supposed to be a continuous source of life for you. In essence the words you speak (out loud or in your head) are speaking…

Remember why you got married, the love, the commitment, the dreams and aspiration for your future together, wanting to raise your family in a loving home etc. Sometimes after years or even months of marriage – when LIFE kicks in: work, raising the kids, daily routine etc. couples may forget why they got married in the first place; especially if they are dealing with a very difficult challenge in their marriage. You’re feeling like things aren’t going your way, things are not what you thought they should be, he or she just doesn’t listen to you, there’s resentment, communication –…

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ~ Hebrews 11:1 The idea of ‘faith’ to me at first seemed like a sentimental statement to say to someone that was going through a hard time or starting a goal or vision God supposedly placed on their heart. But in reality faith leaves us exposed and bare and shows us the true character of our inner man. “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen…” (Hebrews 11:1 ) you begin to realize that out of this verse God will expose things…

I got married to my husband in September of 2013. We have been together off and on since 2007. We have always struggled with problems throughout our relationship, but nonetheless, I love him. Back in May, I cheated on him (my boyfriend then) with a high school crush. I then justified my infidelity on him never being the boyfriend that I needed him to be. But deep down I knew it was wrong. In July, I found out I was pregnant. Instantly that affair I had resurfaced in my mind. I had been with the other guy and my boyfriend…

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. It is so easy to get caught up in the mundane daily activities of life and even easier to get caught up in hard times of life. I used to not know how to combat these feelings and it was only when I really started to study and read The Word that I realized, when I am feeling down I need to remind myself and God of who exactly I am in Christ. The Bible is…

I’d like to dispel four common myths related to female fitness and help you get started on a healthy new year. Keep these things in mind—especially if you are making New Year’s resolutions related to the stewardship of your body (weight loss, exercise, etc.). Here goes: Myth #1- Lifting weights will make me big and bulky. This myth is dying, but many women still believe resistance training will make them look like the She-Hulk. This isn’t true—women simply do not have the same physiological capacity as men when it comes to building muscle. The average man, for example, has about…

Hebrews 13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. Okay let’s be honest, most people who hear that they need to ‘obey’ someone else, or ‘submit’ to them would laugh in your face. We live in a time where everyone is all about being in charge of themselves and ‘obeying’ no one, not even God. We want all the good things from God but choosing to obey Him…

I’ll be the first to admit that at times I could be a big baby when things didn’t go my way. Especially on those days when it seemed like NOTHING went my way. Now when things don’t go my way, I laugh, and I thank God because I know it was nothing more than God’s divine intervention. You hear about these stories all the time. Someone missed their flight, only to find out later that the very plane they were scheduled to be on, crashed! Or someone was running late for work, only to find out later that there was…

My daughter is 14 months old and was born with a severe birth defect. She will never live a normal life. She has 10q micro deletion on her chromosome 10. We have 16 hours a day of nursing and she lives on a ventilator 24/7. She doesn’t move, at all. She’ll never be able to move, talk, sing, play, dance, anything. We were in the NICU for 9 mos. We have to share her with the nurses that “live” at our home and – its too much to handle sometimes. I also am pregnant and just found out that this…

I’ve been with my husband for 7 years and a few months ago I found out that he has been with another woman and as a result of that he is expecting a child with her. Needless to say we separated as soon as I found out. He moves back in with his family in another city and we don’t talk for a month. After that we start to speak again and I find out later by another woman that they have been together since before we started to speak again and have been intimate. This other woman told me…

Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”~ 1 Corinthians 15:33 Sometimes we are blinded by love. Don’t get me wrong, love is a beautiful thing, but NO relationship is worth your relationship with God. Ask yourself “Does this person lead you closer to Christ or do they stray you away from Christ?” Too often we get into relationships and marriages thinking we can change the other person. Thinking we can make them the ‘Christian’ we want them to be. Truth is…All you can do is pray for them, Let God do the changing, and if you guys are…

My husband and I have been married for 12 years and we have three school aged children. My husband is a great provider but it seems it just ends there. I know he loves me and the kids, but he just isn’t “involved” in our lives. He leaves the majority of the duties of raising our kids to me. Wake up, breakfast, getting them ready for school, school activities, after school activities, homework, projects, play dates, parties, bed time, everything is just me. He has no clue what is going on in their lives unless I tell him. He does…

My boyfriend and I are newly in a relationship. We stated from the beginning that we want to wait to have sex until marriage. We have already had sex. We both keep saying we need to set up boundaries. But then we keep going back to giving in to our flesh. We’re disappointed in ourselves. He became a believer about 5 years ago and is still very new in his faith. With his background and experiences he thinks that we can remain pure for a while (2 weeks…maybe a month) but ultimately one of us will give in. I need…

During this festive time of year, for some people it is a very sad season for many reasons. For me I miss my family and friends back home that I’m not able to celebrate with this year and I also miss my dad and other loved ones that have passed away. Every day is hard missing someone that is no longer here, but during certain occasions like the holidays is when you really notice that void. You want to talk to them, see them, hug them and share in the occasion, but you are painfully reminded that they are no…

My friend and I have been friends since 2nd grade. Our families are also close. I became engaged on September 19th and ever since then, my friend’s true colors is showing. Everytime I want to share good news with her about the wedding, she always just seems so uninterested. This spoils my mood, so then it becomes awkward, I’ve tried asking her straight out if she has a problem with me marrying my fiance and she always says “no”. Her mouth is saying no but her actions are telling otherwise. She’s not showing up to fittings, she’s disagreeing with every…

I’m a 19 year old college student who recently became saved. I just woke up one day and decided I didn’t want to live the way I had been living anymore. Since that day, it seems like I don’t fit in anywhere anymore. I know most of you are going to say I don’t need approval from anyone but God, but before you do, let me explain. I have no friends. NONE! Ever since I started changing my ways and trying to live right, my friends have all disappeared. Some of them, I don’t mind because they are bad influences…

Are you teaching your kids humility? Many parents don’t. I’d like to share a story about the day my daughter learned a lesson of humility…

It’s often said that we learn more from our mistakes and trials than our successes. This year I’ve experienced how this is true. I wanted to share the lessons I’ve learned in the hope they might encourage someone else going through a difficult time. While I know sadly these lessons are often only learned through experience, it is the greatest desire of my heart that we may know and give real love, and live in it. While we live in a broken world pain will always be with us, but there is so much better for us – for you.…